Life Is Strange After the Storm Episode 3 Quantum Crisis
by WickDaLine
Summary: With Max declared a criminal and Arcadia Bay seized into martial law, matters have gone from bad to worse. While Max is being imprisoned, persecuted, and prepared to stand trial for her crimes destroying the town, it is up to Chloe and Rachel to find out the truth behind the storm and who really set it in motion.
1. Detained

**Note: This is the third episode of a series. If you haven't read the first or second episode of the series, click on my profile to get started. Thank you.**

Previously on Life is Strange: After the Storm...

"Have a seat, Ms. Caulfield," asked Mr. Wells. "We have much to discuss."

"I'm not blaming you for my son's death. But as crazy as it sounds, I'm starting to blame you for what happened to this town. All want is the truth. Do not lie to me. I'll know if you're lying. Is it true that you have a secret power to control time so to speak. And if you do, is it true that your power caused what destroyed this town?"

"The National Guard found my little girl's body thrown out of car the next morning after the storm...and was confirmed dead. Tell me, Ms. Caulfield, if my daughter's death was caused by terrorism, who will avenge that tragedy? Who will bring her death to justice and who is the real person responsible for six-hundred deaths including hers that laid waste to this town?"

"Max, that butterfly you took the picture of gave you the powers you have now. When you were in that bathroom that day and the butterfly appeared, it chose you to have the powers. Legend has it, the butterfly spirit carries the power of the butterfly effect. AKA time bending. Capable of manifesting that power to anyone with the highest purity."

"According to the legend, the person chosen to have the power of the butterfly effect is the one with the purest vibes."

"You of many people contain a high purity of vibes. Meaning you share the greatest emotional atmosphere towards others. That's why it chose you. That's why you were given this power. That's how it's earned. The joy, the harmony, the nobility that turns people pure."

"Chloe, there are people out there that know about my powers. People that have known about my powers' existence from the very beginning. Somehow they know what I've done. What I did to this town. They know I was the reason behind the storm."

"Okay, Max. This is crazy talk. You? Terrorism? Really? Why would someone like the District Attorney and Prickscott convict you of such a thing?"

"I thought you were dead, Rachel," shouted Chloe. "You hear me?! I thought you were fucking dead!"

"Chloe, I owe you big explanation for this. I really do. Just hear me out for moment of your life. It's no surprise you'd be pissed for me showing up like this."

"Try me. I'm listening."

"There are no secrets kept from the law, Max. The Sheriff got a call from some guy named Crosby who's running this Chrysalis Corps saying they've been watching you and targeting you as some time traveler or some other weird shit. So do you mind telling me why?"

"Let's just cut to the chase. There's you need to learn about Chrysalis. They are out there. They don't just study the effect of quantum chemistry. Their an elite organization trained to hunt down time travelers and destroy them if they have to. If they discover any threat towards time and space, they'll do whatever it takes to eliminate that threat. One way or another."

"Why are you telling me this? You say this like I'm wanted dead or something."

"They'll be coming for you, Max. And they won't stop ever, until they've captured you...or they've killed you."

"Captain Clayton Cage. Chrysalis Security Task Force," the lead soldier introduced himself with an ID in his hand. "We're here for Max Caulfield, of course. We have warrant for her arrest as we have a warrant to search the school."

"What the fuck happened back their, Max," she asks driving as quickly as she could. "Are those assholes trying to start World War III?"

"Just fucking drive!"

"I got this. I got this. I don't got this!"

She pulled the truck over exactly at the dead end steering it swiftly to the left allowing my chance to jump for it. I jump as high as I could straight out of Chloe's truck and just barely grip my hand on the dangling hook. I hold on as tight as I could with one and then both. While I'm dangling like a fish on a hook on the side of the bridge, I just notice that there's stacks of wood built on my side of the bride. I braced myself for impact.

The chopper came tumbling down the road like a bowling ball when it hit the ground. Before it blew up, it came rolling down over the truck I was on and I use my time rush to jump out of the truck before the crashing choppers hits the truck and explodes with it. I land on the top of the last remaining vehicle of the convoy. A Chrysalis SUV with a passenger and a driver. I hijack the SUV by throwing the driver out, shooting the passenger, and hopping straight with my seat buckled. I also throw out the dead passenger, as well.

"Max, take my hand!"

"Just shoot that fucker! Take him out!"

Me and Rachel are about to hit a diesel truck with a kerosene trailer and Rachel power slides her bike underneath the trailer to prevent impact. Only to allow the rolling Chrysalis van to combust into the trailer instead and simultaneously create a massive explosion destroying the van once and for all. Like a Michael Bay action movie.

"Rachel, you knew how Chloe would feel. You knew running away was not going to solve anything. You knew Chrysalis was coming after me sooner than I expected. And you knew Blackwell was the last place I should've been to begin with. I not only put myself in danger, I put the whole school in jeopardy of my fugitiveness. Maybe even the whole town. Chloe is right. There's much you could've done to protect us more. It's bad enough I had to extinguish hundreds of lives to let Chloe. Now I've caused even more bloodshed killing a bunch of Chrysalis troopers during their assault on Blackwell and beyond."

"The moment you showed up on my lawn on Friday," she began. "I thought back to that day you told me to prepare for the worst. Was this what you spoke of? Was this what I was supposed to be prepared for?"

"I wish I knew the answer to that question, Chloe, but I don't. I really don't."

"Of course you don't. You never know shit. You know what, we're done with you. From now on, you stay away from Max. You stay away from me. If I ever catch with her again, I'll turn you in to those Chrysalis bastards myself. I mean it. Nothing is going to divide me from Max ever again. Nothing."

 _"HQ to Caulfield. Come in Caulfield. This is Chrysalis HQ. On behalf of Sean Prescott's orders, please respond."_

 _"I'm giving you the option to either surrender yourself or Rachel Amber to Chrysalis in my name. It's that simple. You have one hour to decide. Whoever you choose, meet us at Town Hall. It's either you or Amber. The choice is yours."_

"Chloe...I'm...I'm so sorry, but I'm going."

"Max, don't do this to me! I love you!"

"Freeze!"

"Stay right where you are!"

"Don't move!"

"On your knees, Caulfield! Now!"

"Congratulations, Caulfield. You're a criminal," said Prescott.

Prologue

Max

Six Months Earlier...

October 18th, 2013

9:30 AM

Arcadia Bay, Oregon

Arcadia Bay Cemetery

Tears poured down for the Prescotts. It was time to mourn the death of Nathan Prescott. The beloved son, brother, cousin, and heir to the Prescott family. Every mourner arrived at the cemetery just in time for Nathan's funeral. Dressed in their funeral clothes.

The people attending the funeral were a majority of the Prescott family and everyone else Nathan was close to. That included Nathan's parents, Sean and Adrian Prescott, Nathan's older sister Kristine; and his aunts, uncles, and cousins from outside the state. There was also the Vortex Club attending. Which included Victoria, Taylor, Courtney, Dana, Juliet, Logan, Zachary, and Hayden. There was also Principle Wells, David, Joyce, Warren, and Kate arriving at the funeral. And finally, there was me and Chloe prepared to mourn.

There were black cars, SUV's, and limos parked by the gate of the cemetery. As well as a hearse that carried Nathan's coffin. There were also men and women wearing suits and shades that was the Prescotts' security detail. Guarding the gravesite where Nathan's tomb had been built, a picture frame of himself with a memorial reef decorated on it stood, and his coffin was prepared for burial.

As soon as everyone including myself gathered around crowding Nathan's burial and the Prescott security suits got to their post guarding the graveyard and surrounded the mourners, Kate's father Pastor Richard approached with a shovel in his hands and began to preach for Nathan's funeral.

I stood between Chloe and Warren during the funeral. I turned to my right and saw Nathan's Mother weeping with tears running down her cheeks and leaning against her husband's shoulder. Who had a look of guilt and sorrow in his eyes. Blaming himself for letting his son die by the hands of a photography snob named Jefferson. Nathan's sister Kristine stood next to Adrian comforting her during the sorrowful hour.

I turned to my left and saw Victoria standing between her friends Taylor and Courtney with a tear running down her cheek, too. She had been a little more than just friends with Nathan. They had been a thing together for a time being.

I turn my eyes forward. Starring at the coffin concealing the boy who had been a puppet so unfairly used under a heavy sociopathic influence. I couldn't blame myself for Nathan's death the way I put myself at fault for all the other six-hundred deaths I caused. Nathan indeed deserved redemption for what he had sinned, but there some people who can't be redeemed. Even when they can be redeemed, it can always easily be a missed opportunity.

Frank had arrived at the scene overwatching the funeral from a distance with his dog Pompidou. He had been clients with Nathan in the past as he had with Chloe. Despite Frank and Chloe's hatred for Nathan because of his actions with Rachel, they had to say their goodbyes anyways just for Nathan's respect. Even though there really was no respect to return for them from their perspective.

This was the price I paid for what I did. Where there is death, there will always be death. There are some fates that are easily preventable as they are inevitable. This was the fate I chose to be inevitable. The best of both worlds. For Nathan. For Arcadia Bay. For Chloe. And with Chloe still by my side who had been there for me to live through this, I knew everything would be just fine.

Until now.

Chapter 1 Detained

Max

Present Day...

April 14th, 2014

7:44 AM

Quantum Prospekt

25 miles from Arcadia Bay

"Ms. Caulfield!" shouted Karen as I snap back to reality.

I sat down in an interrogation room handcuffed to the table and wearing my prison jumpsuit. I was now being questioned by the two District Attorneys Karen and Burke. There were guards in the room watching over us as well as a security camera recording us. With a glass window I couldn't see through but the guards on the side could. I had been starring down at a picture of me shooting the soldiers who assaulted me on the school grounds of Blackwell. Karen had took the picture in her hands away from my sight and repeated her question.

"I'm going to ask you again. What were you thinking?"

I remained silent. I couldn't answer the question. It disgraced me to see me locked away in a nut house built for time loons like myself, but I had to cooperate."

"You do realize that only your interference with Rachel Amber led you here, but your actions at Blackwell did," said Burke. "You were given a direct order to cease any activity with time manipulation and you did the complete contradictory. Do you have any idea what charges you're being pressed on or what allegations you're confronting? Mm? Do you?"

"For all I know, I'm a teenager locked up in some hellhole by a bunch of bureaucratic assholes like yourselves."

"Ms. Caulfield," Karen snapped. "Perhaps you didn't take us seriously when we specifically told you that we were watching you. You knew what the consequences would be. You knew you would end up here. And to make matters worse, you killed forty-five Chrysalis troops in Arcadia. Forty-five. As if those six-hundred souls you exhausted weren't enough for you. Do you have any idea what you've become until now?"

I scoff.

"Do you how ridiculous you sound accusing an eighteen-year-old girl of a fucking tornado storm? There is so much you don't understand."

"We understand that the point of this interrogation is not only your actions at Blackwell and forth, but also the tornado storm your being prosecuted with," said Burke. "In fact, we never asked you why you would cause such a thing. So go on and tell us if you please. We're listening."

I sigh. How do I even answer a question that involves Chloe's life, Kate's suicide, Rachel's decoy, Nathan's murder, Jefferson's dark room, and a storm I was set up with? Where do I even began with that kind of question? I give the two DA's the best answer I can give them.

"I never asked for any of this. Do you really think I meant for any of this to happen? From Chloe dying in a bathroom to me getting kidnapped to a dark room, it was a hell of a week for me. The week I first used my power. All I ever wanted was to be together with the one person who means the world to me. Without my power, I would not be holding arms with her everyday. She would've died a sad miserable person instead of a girl who smiles and giggles with me each day. There goes your answer."

"If you think for one minute that what you just said will count for your credibility, you'd be dead wrong missy," said Karen. "There are far more imperative things at stake than your ever-lasting relationship with Chloe."

Before the two attorneys could say anything else, the prison Warden Simon Moss walked in the room to dismiss them.

"Caulfield has visitors who are extremely urgent to see her," said Warden Moss. "I'm afraid I'm going to have to dismiss the two of you."

Karen and Burke packed their files they brought with and were leaving the room so my visitors would come inside.

"This discussion isn't over, Ms. Caulfield," said Karen. "We will see you in court two days from now."

When they walk out the door, the Warden leaves the door open for none other than the two people who gave birth to me and brought me into this world...my parents. Of course. How couldn't it be. I knew that they would tell. I knew how they would feel. And I knew they would be here. My stomach cringes into nervousness and I put my head down on the table.

"You have five minutes. Don't waste it," said the Warden.

The Warden walks out of the room with the door shut and back into the security room next door. I lift my head up off the table and stare firmly at my Mother and Father who look unsurprisingly less than splendid to see me what I've become. A convict rotting in a private maximum security prison in the middle of Oregon.

The sight of my parents makes it even harder on myself to even think about what I would say to them. They probably told them everything, but exactly what do they want to hear from me that would make them feel better? I don't say anything the second my parents take a seat towards me. I wait for them to say something so I could at least allow words to exit from my mouth as well. And I do.

"Well Max, what do you have to say for yourself," Ryan asked angrily.

I bit my lip and say nothing. Already, I'm making myself look foolish in front of my parents as I expected.

"Maxine Caulfield," Vanessa snapped. "I don't know how incompetent you think we look or what this is all about, but they told us everything. I suggest you answer your Father's question this instant before we walk out of this room like idiots."

"I don't know," I reply. "I don't even know where to begin."

"Max, you're gonna have to give us a better answer than I don't know," said Ryan. "The Warden gave us five minutes to be in here and that was fifteen seconds ago. Start from the beginning."

I clear my throat tell them how it all started.

"Let's say that this all began on an ordinary day at Blackwell six months ago. Monday morning to be exact. I was in the bathroom minding my own biz until a boy named Nathan marched in mumbling to himself and Chloe showed up. I saw her get shot by Nathan and that's when my powers first manifested. Which helped me stop Chloe from getting shot."

"Keep going," said Ryan.

"I meet up with Chloe for the first time again and we spend the rest of the week together before the storm hit. There were times when I would need or want to use my rewind powers. I used them to stop Chloe from hurting herself or getting herself killed for the most part. They're thinking the use of my powers effected that storm and killed innocent people in Arcadia. The core reason I'm rotting in this hellhole."

"What daughter of mine would kill innocent people with some tornado storm just to keep her best friend alive," said Vanessa hysterically. "Let alone shoot down a bunch of soldiers who ordered you to surrender!"

"I didn't kill those people, Mom! At least I don't think I did. And even if I did, I never meant for that, okay? I didn't ask for any of this shit anymore than you didn't. And don't get me started on those Chrysalis fucks."

"Max," my Dad shouted. "Do you what know you've put me and your mother though? Do you even know how embarrassingly disgraceful it is for us to have a daughter facing federal charges of terrorism? Do you?!"

"I know that I was set up! Alright?! I never meant for any of this to happen. Yet here I am being falsely accused of a fucking tornado storm!"

"Max Caulfield," my Mom scolded. "You either speak to your parents in a respective manner or we walk out of here knowing we've wasted our time with our convicted daughter! Exactly what do you mean you never meant for any of this to happen? Answer the question!"

"Alright!" I sigh. "I didn't want to kill all those innocents of Arcadia Bay. Nor all those soldiers. All I wanted was just to see Chloe again from all those years apart. To keep her alive. So we could grow old together and not make our lives such wreak from each other. God, I - I..."

"Max, just stop talking for second, okay," asked Ryan. "You're saying you never meant for this to happen. That we get. What we don't get is what this has to do with Chloe. What does she have to do with it?"

"You should both know that Chloe is more than just a friend. Me and her are a thing together. I didn't only use my power to save her life, but also used it to help Chloe find her missing friend Rachel. Chloe had offered me a way to save everyone by going back to the day she originally died just to prevent that disaster from occurring. I rejected her offer and chose Chloe over everyone else. I just couldn't let her go. She means to much to me to let her go."

"All those deaths in Arcadia just to save your girlfriend from dying," said Vanessa. "Unbelievable. I'm out of here."

"Vanessa, please. Just sit down for a minute," Ryan begged.

"No, I will not sit down for a minute. Besides from the fact that our little girl is dressed in rags and locked up with animals in this shit hole and is now telling us she destroyed a town to save her girlfriend, I've wasted enough time here as it is."

The Warden walked back inside and told my parents their five minutes were. Then I had another visitor willing to see me as soon as my parents left the room. It was none other than Derrick Crosby. The head of Chrysalis Corp. The Warden allowed him to spend as much time as he needed with me under his own authority. Crosby took a seat across from me and started his conversation.

"I did once say that Sean's jurisdiction got the better of me," Crosby reminded me.

"What do you want," I reply. "How could this happen? I did everything I could to acknowledge Sean's warning."

"Here's all I know, Max. You're interference with Rachel became a liability to Prescott. He couldn't take any chances having you and her getting funny ideas with your powers. That is why he sent my security force after you and her."

"Couldn't you have done something? You're the head of Chrysalis right? You couldn't at least taken control over your forces?"

"I'm sorry, Max. But Prescott had put to much authority on my security force to do that. I have spoken with your parents about everything and I tried to get them to understand as much as I could. And I have. Though it wasn't easy. Prescott has put your town under martial law with the help of my troops to protect it from Quantum Terrorism. Now let's cut to chase. I'm here to make an offer. An offer I know you won't refuse."

"And what offer is that?"

"I spoke with Warden Moss and requested to have you transferred over to our Chrysalis facility down in Portland where you'll be experimented on."

"Experimented on? I'm supposed to be your lab rat now?"

"More or less. We're not only doing this for a routine experimentation. We're doing this for something for your parents to see. To see who you really are."

"You want me to perform time stunts in front of my parents? Don't you think it's bad enough having them go through my imprisonment being here? Who knows how they'll react when they see my powers."

"Max, it's no surprise to me that your parents have hysterical over the position you're in. But they need more answers than one's you've given them minutes ago. I'll even allow your girlfriend Chloe to stop by if she can."

"Chloe knows my powers all to well to see them compared to my parents' knowledge. Why bring her up?"

"Well, I'm glad I actually did bring her up, because there's something I want to offer her, too."

"And what is that?"

"Your trial begins in two days. Karen and Burke are all prepared for prosecution. If Chloe is allowed to, I'll let her help defend your crimes in court by my side."

"You want Chloe to stand up for me in court as your defense client? What make you think she has any experience talking to a jury or a judge inside a federal courtroom?"

"I'll be doing most of the talking in court. Chloe can be one of your witnesses who'll take the stand, as well. Now I won't lie to you Max, but you're going to need all the help you can get winning such a case like this. There have been many convicts like yourself that have lost cases like these and I wouldn't like you to be one of them."

"Have you talked to Chloe at all about this?"

"Not yet, but I will. Chloe is already in trouble for her interference with your actions back in Arcadia Bay. I'll try talking her parents into helping. Now we won't be transferring you to our facility until tomorrow morning. Over there, you'll be provided with a cell down in the research labs. We'll be testing your powers in the simulation rooms to see what you can do. With that said, Ms. Caulfield, do we have a deal?"

Crosby leans his towards mine so I could shake it and make it a deal. Despite my hands cuffed to the table, I'm able to take his hand and shake it.

"It's a deal," I said.

 **Well, I hoped you all enjoyed the first chapter of episode three, everyone. It wasn't easy, but I gave it my best effort. There is much to happen in this episode that will be exciting to read.**

 **If anyone thought that funeral scene in the prologue that Max flashbacked to was a little forced, that's okay. I always thought Nathan deserved to be missed, too. And he did. Despite being a hated character in season 1, it didn't excuse him from deserving better.**

 **Until next time, stay tuned!**


	2. The Offer

Chapter 2 The Offer

Chloe

April 14th, 2014

9:19 AM

Arcadia Bay, Oregon

Price Residence

 _Arcadia News_

 _"Forty Five Task Force soldiers confirmed dead during Chrysalis operation set in motion from Blackwell Academy to Arcadia Bay Shipping Docks while fifteen remain injured" stated Brock Kent the news anchor. "As a result of the event caused by fugitive Maxine Caulfield, who now remains under Chrysalis custody, martial law is now at large in Arcadia Bay under the authority of Republican Sean Prescott."_

While watching the news on my living room television, the camera recorded shots of Blackwell with soldiers on stretchers or in body bags being escorted to Ambulances and students being questioned by the Press for comments.

 _"During the aftermath of the assault on Blackwell, many students and staff are left shocked to see their campus become a battlefield."_

 _"We all saw those soldiers taking over the school and the next thing we see Max zig-zagging around like an x-man,"_ said Zachary being interviewed on camera.

 _"Just when I thought this school year couldn't get any worse, we now had to listen to gunfire and explosions as if seeing Kate almost jumping off the roof wasn't scary enough,"_ said Taylor who had also been interviewed.

 _"One minute I was teaching my students in my classroom, the next these soldiers came forcing us out of the building with guns pointing at ourselves,"_ said Ms. Grant on camera.

 _"I made sure every staff and student was prepared for this incident,"_ said Principal Wells on camera. _"But if I had know it would go this far, I could've done so much more."_

The screen cut back to the news anchor.

 _"No further comment was added regarding the Blackwell shooting. While Arcadia Bay remains under martial Chrysalis units have been posted all over town guarding every vicinity. Ensuring Arcadia's safety from Quantum Terrorism. Reminder for all current residents of Arcadia Bay that everyone is under mandatory curfew and to be indoors by nine PM. In other news; although Max Caulfield has been placed behind bars, another fugitive from Chrysalis Rachel Amber, thought to have died shortly after disappearance is still large. The manhunt for Rachel herself is still in operation. If you have any information regarding the active fugitive, please contact this number for authorities. This is Brock Kent. Arcadia News."_

I turn off the TV and mope about what I just heard. I could've believe Max would have the balls to bail on me after all these months of optimism. After all those years split apart. And after everything she sacrificed for me and her. Because of what she sacrificed for me and her, Arcadia Bay is once again a militarized zone for another crisis at hand. That is how I'm rewarded. What would they do to her now? Would they somehow dispose of her powers so she would never use them again? Or worse, execute her? I had cried myself to sleep over night think about this. It was happening to me again. Just when me and my hippy thought we were safe from our troubles. We were wrong.

My mother Joyce makes me breakfast and lays my food on the table. She make me eggs and bacon, but I refuse to eat it. I instead slouch my head on my fist leaning my elbow against the table and mope. My Mom then comes over and coddles me when she sees me depressed.

"Chloe, sweetie, why haven't you touched your food," she asks. "You should start eating."

"I just got myself into a suicidal car with Max and get in trouble for it, Max is now in prison, Rachel comes back to me as a wanted fugitive, and now you're asking me why I haven't touched my food. I'm more worried if you're still upset about what happened."

"Chloe, listen to me. Upset or not, I understand how hard it is for you to live without her again. But whatever those two gentlemen who walked into our house were talking about yesterday, they did not sound like they were clowning around. We both know how it feels for me and David to live through your shenanigans and we both know you can't afford to be in more trouble than you've ever been in. As long as you can avoid all of that, you'll be just fine."

"As of right now, Mom, I'm anything but fine. And I'm anything but hungry. I just need some time alone."

One second later, the doorbell rang. Joyce had to respond to it. We both wondered who it could've been. I had hoped it wasn't more soldier coming to scold me and my parents about the incident Max got me involved with. When my Mother opened the door, our visitor was revealed to be a bald man in a suit. The man introduced himself to Joyce and walked into the house. When he had seen me, I had no clue who he was until he introduced himself to me.

"Chloe Price, pleasure to meet you. Derrick Crosby. President and CEO of Chrysalis Corp. You must be Max's partner in time."

"So your Crosby, huh," I say shaking his hand. "Max told me all about you. I would assume your the person running show and telling Max about how she's pure and how I'm damaged?"

The man cleared his throat.

"Ms. Price, we have a lot to discuss. Your friend Max speaks highly of you. I have come here to make an offer. Mrs. Price or should I say Mrs. Madsen, I would like to speak with your daughter in private."

"What for?" she asked. "What has my daughter done this time? Hasn't she been through enough trouble?"

"I am aware of her troubles, Mrs. Madsen. I only wish to speak with her alone. And then we discuss what me and her discussed."

Joyce sighed.

"Very well," she replied. "Do what you must."

I walk upstairs to my room with the man named Crosby and begin our conversation. He didn't sound like he was here to talk trouble. He sounded more like he wanted to talk business.

"Ms. Price, I spoke with your girlfriend in custody earlier this morning. What she had to say to her parents and the DA was less then tolerable. What she had to say to me was a little more friendly."

"Why are you here? You said you came here to make an offer. What is it?"

"Patience, Chloe. I'm getting there. But I should warn it's going to be complicated."

"Psff. Besides Max becoming a war criminal and bailing on me for the second time, how much more complicated can it be?"

"Chloe, Max had told me everything. She had told me all about that one week six months ago of the two of you searching for Rachel, Jefferson's dark room, and all the deaths she cheated for you because of how much you mean to each other. I can understand how crazy it was for you both. I know it."

"What hasn't she told you?"

"Just let me cut to the chase. Has Max told anything about the history of the Quantum Crisis and the conspiracies that fought against it?"

"As far as my knowledge goes, Mr. Crosby, she has told me everything you told her. For a CEO, sounds to me you know so much more about this time travel stuff than me and my girl do."

"Then let me tell you this. For the past decades the Criminal Justice System has struggled bring Quantum Terrorism to justice. Only because people like Max have been easily misunderstood with their endeavor. What I am offering is your help to defend Max against her crimes. There's going to be a trial for her on Wednesday and I would want you to be a key witness in court to testify for her."

I scoff.

"Look Mr. Crosby, I appreciate your sympathy and all but your asking some young adult punk rebel to speak for her hippy in front of a judge and jury in court? Exactly what would they know about Max's powers or anyone else's powers alike."

"Chloe, I understand your a bit emotional right now. But if you want to see your friend again, I'm gonna need your help."

"You're gonna need my help? Last I checked I'm the victim of abandonment here who once again has live through more bullshit that I've been avoiding for the past six months. And you're asking for my help?"

"Maybe you would like to see your girlfriend given the death sentence and be executed at Quantum Prospekt?"

I sigh.

"Fine, on one condition. Now that your here, I hope you wouldn't mind if I have questions myself that you could answer."

Crosby chuckled.

"Ask away, Chloe. I'm all ears."

I clear my throat.

"First of all, what is that makes me a damaged person that makes Max purified. Second, if your the leader of Chrysalis, how could you let Prescott and your soldiers try and kill Max let alone have your men take control of Arcadia?"

"I won't lie to you, Chloe. Both those questions are pretty complicated as they are classified. But I will answer them both under my authority. As I've explained before, there are people in this world that take something called risk. Risks can involve wars and crimes, for instance. People die in wars as they would from crimes called murder. Time and space can foresee the potential consequences of the matter. Such as death. People die not only by the risk they take, but also the vibes people carry for themselves or to one another."

I begin to remember what Max told me about how I really constantly got myself killed that week. It had not been destiny, it was rather a different word that starts with an 'r'.

"Let me guess, retribution. Isn't it? Max already explained to me about this, but I'm only asking this again because I still don't get how it's retribution Max had been fighting. Exactly what risks would I have taken to get myself killed?"

"I don't know, Chloe. You tell me?"

It was a dumb question. I knew damn straight what risk I had taken. Whether it'd be Nathan holding the gun to my stomach during my fight with him in the restroom or getting caught on the train tracks almost getting run over or even taking the bait for Jefferson's trap to kidnap Max and shoot me in the head beside Rachel's fake body. We smile at each other vaguely.

"So your telling me that all because of my bad vibes I carry, I had to do die," I chuckle. "And what about, Max?"

"Max is more purified because of her better karma. The greater atmosphere she communicates towards others and better choices she makes that makes her have greater vibes. Which is what earned her the power to begin with."

I didn't even want to go further with this answer. As ridiculous as it may have sounded to mean, I just wanted to forget about and move forward.

"Okay, I suppose that's answers the first question. Just what about Prescott on your Chrysalis army?"

"Mr. Prescott has been an extremely paranoid man these days since his son's death. When we caught Max and Rachel both under our radar, Prescott was beginning to feel more and more suspicious with the two of them and wanted to do away with them both. That is why he wants Arcadia Bay under Chrysalis management and why he went after them both. That's all I can answer for you."

"Oh, dammit, Rachel. Why are you helping me, Mr. Crosby? Really? You talk to me like your on my side and Max's, too. What is it that you really care so much about us that make you want to defend her?"

"Chloe, the two of you are a miracle to me. You outlived so many deaths because of Max and shared such a great bond together because of her power. She even saved a girl from suicide and helped you crack the mystery behind Rachel's disappearance. Max had done the impossible with her power. In the past, many people like her have lost Quantum Terrorism cases due to having no particular good reason to have time dueling abilities. But if there's a chance Max is to win such a case, you can easily prove to her how much of a better person she is."

"Don't you think it might take more than just saying how much she means to me on the stand? Wouldn't there have to be evidence or what not to prove Max is innocent or something?"

"I would suggest leaving that to me. Now that I've answered your questions, do we have a deal, Ms. Price?"

 **X/SQUARE/LM - MAKE THE DEAL**

 **B/CIRCLE/RM - ASK MORE QUESTIONS**

"You got yourself a deal, Mr. Crosby," I say shaking his hand.

"Excellent, I suppose I'll be talking with your mother now about agreement."

"Wait, Mr. Crosby...just one more. What if it just so happens that Max loses this case? What's going to happen to her?"

"She's either executed...or we neuter her powers," he answers.

As soon as Crosby leaves my room to talk to Joyce, I'm touched about what he said. Executed? Neuter her powers? Which one was worse? If they execute her, it'll be the last I see of my partner in time. If they neuter her powers, she won't be able to save me or anyone else again. Unless Rachel had something on Max, me and her had to take action quick or I'll never be able to wake up next to my Doe ever again. I knew Rachel hadn't been the best friend to me, but she was the only person I had left to count on.

My phone bleeped a text message from Warren. I pick it out of my pocket to answer it.

 **Warren: Chloe, I heard what happened to Max. I just wanted to say I'm sorry.**

 **Warren: Do u want to stop by at Blackwell before class starts for a talk?**

 **Chloe: Sure, I guess. I'll c u there.**

 **Warren: Be careful. There's guards on campus securing the school. They're checking every student that walks in and out.**

 **Chloe: OK. I'll be careful.**

 **Note: Sorry if this chapter took longer than usual. I've been busy with school this past week and took some video game breaks writing this chapter.**

 **So as you've read in this chapter, Crosby has offered Chloe's assistance to defend Max. In case you're confused about what he had been saying, the whole pure and damaged thing can be explained more in chapter 4 of episode 2. Crosby also has a desire for Max and Chloe's bond together has well as what Max's power has done to keep people like Chloe or Kate alive. As well as the search for Rachel and how Max and Chloe were able to find her. All which Crosby believes to be the impossible. That's my best explanation I can give you readers.**

 **Until next time, stay tuned!**


	3. A Cold Day In Arcadia Bay

Chapter 3 A Cold Day in Arcadia Bay

Chloe

April 14th, 2014

9:31 AM

Arcadia Bay, Oregon

Price Residence - Blackwell Academy

I hop into my truck, back out of the driveway, and drive my way to Blackwell. Driving through town is almost a chore to get through. The streets are occupied by Chrysalis vehicles in convoys making it harder for public and residential vehicles to drive by. There are checkpoints posted in certain areas of town for troops to check every vehicle passing through. Driving past the checkpoints give me the creeps. A guard questions me where I'm headed and where I'm from and I coop with him before he lets me through.

Meanwhile, as Max was doing time in Quantum Prospekt. Every prisoner including herself was let of their cells for their breakfast break. Max walked out of her cell with all the other prisoners down to the MPR. Walking through the cellblock is nothing more but a parade of chronon-exposed animals for Max. It felt like an insane asylum to her.

When I pass my first checkpoint, I see band of soldier doing background checks on people for whatever reason. This was beginning to feel like a political thriller movie where people were conflicted by governmental control. To me, there was just something about the Prescotts being given to much unlimited power to Arcadia and no one could grasp why.

Max lined herself up with the other prisoners by the food counter in the MPR. She had a tray in her hand to be served the worst food she ever had. Even worse than what Blackwell served. She had to eat very lumpy pancakes on her tray that tasted so bad it almost made her nauseous. Joyce could make ten times better pancakes than the ones she forced to eat.

I come to a four way stop where I have to wait for a long ass convoy to cross. It takes me five minutes or maybe more to wait for my turn to cross the intersection. So far it was turning out that the Prescotts have gone overprotective of this town just to keep it out of harms way.

A prison guard sprays Max down with a super-high powered hose while she's naked soaking her down like a hurricane. The spray is so powerful, the water hits her as hard as a Rhinoceros. And the water is so cold, it felt like it came from Antarctica. Max catches her breath when she's done being sprayed down and dries herself shivering like a penguin.

I take the road that gets me to Blackwell where there aren't very many Chrysalis vehicles to be seen, but where I hear a chopper hover above me. The same kind of Chopper that had pursued me and Max while we had raced our way to Rachel. I had assumed it was headed for Blackwell or it was on patrol. Either way, I could care less. It wasn't like it was going to shoot me down like the one chopper had did on that convoy Max had fought on. Not this time.

Max had spent a few more minutes out of her cell overlooking all the other prisoners socializing or making bribes with each other. She had not been enjoy herself in this travesty of imprisonment. Prison isn't exactly supposed to be a comfy place, but this had only been Max's first time experiencing it. Until her pardon, she was going to have to get used to it. Max also wonder what me and my ex-girlfriend would do about her. Let alone how her parents would still have to put up with her imprisonment and how Crosby could actually win my case with my help. Everyone was eventually called back to their cells and Max did what she had been told. Simple as that.

I arrive at Blackwell only to see the Campus occupied by Chrysalis soldiers and security officers guarding school grounds scanning every student for background checks. A guard stops me before entering the parking lot where I first saw Max again and asks me why I came here. I was only surprised that I wasn't wanted for questioning because of my involvement with Max's actions. I was okay to park and so I did so, hopped out of my truck and walked down to the courtyard to talk to Warren.

I see Warren sitting on a brick bench in the courtyard waiting for me. There are guards posted around every corner of the area with some still doing background checks on students before coming in. I walk up to where Warren sits and talk to him.

"Chloe, you came," he says.

"Yo, Warren," I reply. "You weren't shitting my balls about Chrysalis being here."

"I know. It's not looking too good is it? You wouldn't believe the trouble we went through yesterday with all that chaos that occurred here."

"You said you wanted to talk, Warren. I would assume you wanted to talk more than just about what happened yesterday?"

"What's going on, Chloe? Why were they after Max? What did she do to piss these guys off so much?"

"Long story short, Max has these super powers to manipulate time making her what they would call a Quantum Terrorist."

"So the rumors are true. No wonder things are getting serious in Arcadia. Who are they to call Max a terrorist anyways?"

"That tornado that struck Arcadia six months ago. They're accusing her of that disaster."

"The tornado? What are you saying?"

"As crazy as this may sound, they're thinking that her powers caused that mess. That they caused that twister to maul down the down killing hundreds. That's why it's so serious."

"So, wait. Hold on. Did you know about this? You knew about this stuff? You knew these powers or whatever your talking about?"

"Yes, I did. From the very beginning since she first had them."

"What do you mean the very beginning? How long has Max had these powers?"

"Long enough, Warren. Long enough."

"You said powers that can manipulate time. Exactly how does she manipulate time?"

"She rewind time, freeze time, dash through time, rush through time, blast through time, you name it. Not to mention now that Rachel is alive and well, she comes back to me with powers just like Max's. That's all I've got to say."

"So...let me get this straight. Max has these super powers to control time that makes a tornado storm it's way into town and these Chrysalis jarheads conveniently deal with the problem by marching their way into Blackwell just to try and shoot her ass. And what does Rachel have to do with it?"

"I don't know. All I know is that some fuckers set Max up with this and I don't care who, but no one rats out Super Max. No one."

"And...how do you know Max set up with this and who could have been these fuckers that set her up?"

"I don't know that either, Warren. Hopefully, Rachel is able to find some leads so me and her could get Max out of this mess."

"Speaking of Rachel, isn't she still a fugitive from Chrysalis?"

"Yeah, she still is. Luckily, she found herself a little hideout outside of town just to be safe. So what hell happened here anyways? When the hole Chrysalis army came purging into Blackwell?"

"Tsst. You wouldn't believe all the excitement that happened yesterday. One minute I was having a nice lunch with Brooke and Kate, the next a bunch of jarheads come thundering their way on campus. Principle Wells called in an emergency evac to the gym. They all gathered us around the pool. The next thing we hear is gunfire and weird sound effects from outside the gym. It wasn't cool. What happened to you?"

"Well, I had to help Max escape in my gettaway car while getting chased by those fuckers who tried to kill Max. I can still see Max hanging from a damn bridge and almost getting hit by boat. Then she had to fight her on convoy that chased after Rachel. That's what happened to me."

Suddenly, a whistle was blown from across the courtyard that received everyone attention. It was Captain Cage, the Chrysalis Task Force leader who came to my doorstep and scolded me for helping Max escape, standing by the fountain centering the courtyard.

"Alright, everyone. Listen up! I need everyone's attention this instant!"

Every student in the courtyard stopped what they were doing and paid close attention to what Cage had to say.

"As far as Principal Wells is concerned, I'm going to be supervising everything that happens here. Due to Martial Law, Sean Prescott has ordered me and my men to monitor everything in Arcadia Bay including this school. My men are going to be my eyes and ears for whatever happens here and I'm going to make myself very plain."

The man was beginning to talk a lot like David and behave a lot like him, too. Of course, Cage is another typically over-disciplined jarhead the way David used to be in Afghanistan. He was also older then David, as well. If I ever learned to hate my Step-Deputy's guts, I was beginning to hate Cage's even more.

"If there comes a scenario in this school, just one scenario that either me, Mr. Wells, or Mr. Prescott doesn't like, someone's going to be held responsible. Whoever's held responsible will not only be kicked out of school, but will be arrested. For instance, we're still on the hunt for another fugitive. I'm pretty sure the name Rachel Amber rings a lot of bells in this school and has a history of being a high honor roll and a popular student to come across Blackwell. Not anymore. So I'm going to make this my only warning. Any in all interference with any fugitives such as Rachel or any other illegal activity opposing Chrysalis, you will be busted and prosecuted under Prescott's orders! Period!"

The school bell rang and it was time for everyone to get to class. Cage rapped up everything else he had to say before the students got to class.

"My men will be watching you all and will report everything that occurs in this school. I'd get to class if I were you. You all behave yourselves and have a nice day at school."

Every student walking inside murmured to one another on how Rachel was a fugitive of Chrysalis and what they would with her. The longer the guards stayed here, the more they made the students look uncomfortable. Before Cage walked off the courtyard, he spotted me standing next to Warren. He had starred at me suspiciously. Knowing I was still in trouble for what I did with Max. I starred at him back until he left the area.

"You heard the man, Chloe. Take care," said Warren.

"You too, Warren," I said.

A text message bleeped on my phone again. It was Rachel.

 **Rachel: Yo, Chloe! I've got a lead on Max's set up! Get over to the lodge as soon as you can!**

 **Chloe: About damn time! I'll be there!**

 **Rachel: BTW Chloe, if you want me too, I think I should tell you what I was really up to while I was away.**

 **Chloe: Whatever u say, Rach. And whatever helps us find who set Max up quicker.**

About an hour later, I make it to Rachel's lodge and park my truck in the driveway. I walk inside but there's no sign of Rachel. I walk outside to the backyard and see Rachel sitting on the ground near the lakeside. I know she has answers and I'm desperate for them.

"What took you so long," asked Rachel.

"Your asking a person who's been bailed on for over a year what took her so long," I question.

"Why don't you just sit down and let's cut to the chase," suggested Rachel.

I sit down next to her as I'm asked.

"So what is that you have on Max exactly, huh? You had better have given me a good to come here."

"Chloe, before I say anything, let's get one thing straight. You can be pissed at me all you want, but it will get you nowhere as far as bringing Max back. Now which one do you want to hear first. My lead on Max's setup or my story in LA? Your call."

I sigh.

"You know what, I'm actually interested in hearing your story in LA. I really am. Whether it makes me feel better or not. Just make it quick so we can get down to bidness."

"Alright then. Here it goes."

Rachel clears her throat.

"Does the name Jack Divine ring a bell to you?"

"Jack Divine? The world's famous fashion producer? You did not just bring him up."

"Sure I did. Believe it or not. I met him in San Francisco."

"You did not."

"I did too."

"Well if that's so true, Rachel, what does he have to do with anything?"

"Everything actually. In fact, he's the one person who made my dreams became a reality. You willing to hear the rest?"

"Sure, tell me about it if that's so true."

 **Note: I just wanted everyone to know that the next chapter will revolve around Rachel story in LA and what she did to achieve her dreams. You've probably figured that out by now anyways.**

 **I also wanted everyone to know that I wanted the song 'Heartbeats' by Jose Gonzalez to be played while Chloe's driving through town and Max is doing time in prison. Another thing, I wanted 'Bluebird' by Foals to play during Nathan's funeral sequence during the prologue before Chapter 1.**

 **Until next time, stay golden!**


	4. Jack Divine

Chapter 4 Jack Divine

Rachel

May 13th, 2013

7:15 PM

San Francisco, California

Cold Beer Bar

It had been three weeks since I left Arcadia Bay and back into my home state of California. I couldn't believe I actually left town for good. Without mentioning anything to Chloe or Frank. At least, I got to say goodbye to Nathan who I cared about, too.

I sat there at the bar counter taking a sip of liquor from my glass thinking to myself, how could I do this? How could I let this happen? All I ever wanted from Jefferson was his mentorship to help me accomplish my dreams. And he deceives me by drugging me at the Vortex Club party, kidnaps me, and tortures me in his dark room with the help of Nathan. And now, he forces me to leave town. I didn't understand why, but I knew by now that Chloe is probably pissed as hell at me for bailing on her.

I also thought about what I told her that morning before. I never thought that she would've needed to take my advice sooner than expected, but I hope she had. I loved Chloe like she was my guardian angel. Despite my deepest affection for her, I assumed I could've spared her from Jefferson perhaps. I assumed that if I didn't leave, perhaps Jefferson might've threatened to hurt or whatnot.

Whatever the case, I wondered what Chloe was gonna do without me now. Maybe Justin and Trevor could support her and occupy her life for some time. Hell, maybe Frank would do the same. I had bonded with him just as well as I did with Chloe and Nathan. What I deeply regretted the most was not only my disregards for informing Chloe of my departure from Arcadia, but refusing to take the initiative of telling her about my secret affairs that opposed her. If she ever found out about my indifference knowing I had been betraying her all that time, even if I did just say nothing or no one would stop me from loving her, she just may instantly think otherwise.

The bartender takes notice on the look of my worried face and asks me what's wrong.

"Is there something wrong, ma'am? Why the long face," he asked.

"Why do you care," I say.

"Kid, I have customers come to my bar every once in a while and every once in a while, they just might have same look you have right now. That's why I care. So tell me, what seems to be the problem?"

 **X/SQUARE/LM - TELL THE TRUTH**

 **B/CIRCLE/RM - HIDE THE TRUTH**

 **A/X/CM - TELL PARTIAL TRUTH**

I clear my throat and tell him some partial truth.

"Let's say that I just recently broke up with my girlfriend and skipped town. I just moved here to San Fran to look for a job in the fashion industry. My mentor couldn't help and my parents only made it worse. You wouldn't happen to know a way to get in that field, would you?"

"Hear me out kid, I don't even know the half about fashion or even how to get in that field. But, I will tell you this much. I hear there's one man from Los Angeles who's famous for running the best know fashion industry in the world. He goes by the name of Jack Divine."

"Shut up. Jack Divine? LA's greatest know fashion producer? Really?"

"So you've heard of him, haven't you?"

"How would I just go up to someone like Divine and ask him how to become a fashion star?"

"Why don't you ask him yourself? You sound like a better fashion than me."

The bartender chuckled before he left the counter. I decided to call it a night and leave the bar so I could find a lead to my future. Little did I know that before I walked out of the bar, my lead was not too far gone.

"Hey, miss," said a voice from one of the table. "You with the blonde hair. Can I have a word with you for a moment?

I turn to my right to see a man dressed in a suit sitting next to another man dressed the same. The man who called me over was not only as good looking as Jefferson was, he looked instantly familiar. The closer I walked over to this table, the closer he became recognizable to my eyes. I didn't believe I was actually meeting him for the first time face to face. It was him. The one and only.

"Jack Divine," I presumed. "Is that really you?!"

"Have a seat miss. Next to my partner if you don't mind."

My jaw drops in an instant and I quickly sit next to his partner and shake his hand.

"Holy shit, I don't believe it! It's really you! I am a big fan of your work Mr. Divine."

"Please, call me Jack. And you must be..."

"Rachel. Rachel Amber. It's honor to meet you, Jack."

"Rachel, the person sitting next to you is my partner, Henry."

Me and Divine's partner named Henry greet each other and shake. Then me and Divine talk business.

"Ms. Amber, we had overheard you and the bartender back there and we've decided to make you an offer."

"And why make me such an offer on such short notice?"

"Isn't that the question for tonight? Well, Rachel...May I call you Rachel?"

"Sure. After all, I am your number one fan."

Divine smiled.

"Rachel, we've come a long way to find more people to hire for our fashion community and we're lucky to have found a nice young lady like yourself to have such interest."

"You sound desperate. Is there something happening with the community?"

"Well...that's a bit of a complicated question. All the more reason we've come here from LA. The fashion industry is loosing money and we need all the right men and women we can get to save the industry. And you can be one of them."

"And what does it take to become one of them?"

"It's not easy, Rachel. It could take months, even years to achieve the greatest ranking in fashion. First, you have to audition in order to make into the community. Once you make it into the community, you'll be ranked by your own figure you present to the industry. If your willing take on that kind of task be my guest. You can easily help our community with all your passion for fashion."

"So, what your telling me is that I can actually get started now?"

"You said it, Rachel. Here's my card. Call me if you think your motivated enough to take the job. You have a nice evening, Ms. Amber."

 **"Sleepwalking" - Chain Gang of 1974**

June 10th, 2013

11:10 AM

5 miles from Los Angeles

Interstate 280

It had taken me a whole another month to hear back from Divine and schedule a interview with him. I ride my motorbike on the interstate from SF all the way to LA only five miles away from achieving my dreams. As the highway sign says. Even now as I'm only an hour away or two from fulfilling my dream, I still regret ever leaving Chloe on her own in Arcadia as well as faking my death two months earlier. But I had to move on. I imagined her old friend Max Caulfield coming back to town and making Chloe whole again. Even though it wasn't something to count on, it would indefinitely make her have someone to rely upon when I'm not there.

Driving closer and closer to my destination, comes the beautiful sight of Los Angeles. The city of my dreams. I was to meet Jack Divine in Santa Monica located west of downtown LA at Ventura Studios. Along the way, I drive through traffic packed with cars, buses, street lights, palm trees grown in the middle of the streets, and commercial ads posted on builds.

I had made a reservation at hotel in Los Angeles so I have somewhere to stay until I get the job or not. Once my room is taken, I dress up in a jacket and gown to look professional for my interview. Then I drive my way to the fashion studio and meet Divine in his office. When I enter his office, he's instantly astonished to see me.

"Hey, hey, Rachel! How's my future model?"

"All the usual, Mr. Divine. All the usual."

"Have a seat and let's start talking business."

I take a seat in front of his desk. Divine reaches out for my resume I had sent him a month ago to review it.

"Okay, Rachel. So, I've looking through your resume and it would seem you not only have greatest passion for fashion, but you seem to have the greatest high school reputation at this Blackwell Academy. However, that's only the good news I have to tell you."

"Only the good news? What are you saying?"

Divine sighed.

"Well, Rachel, I guess this is where I bring up the bad news. It says here that you're education only meets some high school and that you haven't graduated. Which means I cannot hire you."

"Rachel, listen. As much as it kills me to disappoint you, I can only hire people who are either high school graduates or college graduates. Meaning I would need to see a diploma that signifies you graduated. Whether I'd be a Bachelor's degree or a Master's degrees. And since you have neither, you aren't ready for hire."

"Jack, I didn't come this far all the from San Francisco just to hear this. How can you turn me down now?"

"Rachel, I understand you've worked so hard to make here. And I will admit, I am surprised to see how ambiguous you have been in your dream according to your Blackwell record. But rules are rules. What I don't understand is why you even dropped out to begin with? You were doing just fine in school."

I sigh. I couldn't tell Divine about the whole thing with Jefferson and Nathan being the reason I left town. I am good at making up stories and good liar myself. Why should that change now?

"Well...it's a bit of a complicated story actually. Before I moved to San Fran, the school had burnt down and it made times rough for everyone. It's why I couldn't graduate. No one could. I told my parents I'd moving to SF and I've been living there ever since. That's when I met you. I called my parents saying I just might be able to achieve my dreams yet and here I am now with the bad news just broken to me."

"I'm sorry to here that, Rachel. But still, rules are rules. I'm afraid this interview has now ended."

No. No way I'm letting my idol push me away like this. No way! Then I had thought about my powers. The powers I used to get everyone to like me, get good grades, get whatever I wanted, and make Chloe still like. My ability to mind trick people. My time mind trick of course. I only called it that because time can have an influence on memory of course. What if I used it on Divine? That's exactly what I did.

I wave my hand around in front of Divine and his mind is cleared. With no memory of seeing my education rank on my resume. Then I talk my way out of this.

"First you will hire me. Then, you'll give me a nice penthouse at a real nice apartment building. And then, you'll make me the famous model that has ever lived. How does that sound?"

"Your request is my pleasure, Ms. Amber. You're hired."

I did not just do this. I actually manipulated the one human being on Earth that idolized me the most to seek my future. Just like everyone else. I shake the man's hand in excitement.

"Wow, thank you, Jack. You're too kind."

"No, no, Rachel. Thank you. You just might be my best model that ever lived."

July 19th, 2013

Santa Monica, Los Angeles

6:50 PM

Ventura Studios

It had taken me yet a whole another month to start living my dreams. I had rented a penthouse in Beverly Hills and started posing for photo shoots and magazine covers for a living. Tonight was the big night. For I was about to make history for being one of the top thirty best models to perform in LA for the women's Ventura Fashion Show.

I was in my dressing room putting makeup and lipstick on while all the other young ladies prepared themselves for the big event as well. I had worn a blue dress and feathers for the show. Jack Divine walked in the room backstage to check on his models. He came into my dressing room to see myself dressed up for the show.

"Hey there, Rachel. How's my favorite model," he asked.

I turn around and face him to show of my impressions. His eyes are astonished to at the way I look.

"Wow, look at you. You are gonna make my career shine, Rachel. You really are."

"Thanks. My ex-girlfriend should really see me now."

"Mr. Divine, the show's on in five minutes," said a supervisior with a clipboard.

"Well, Rachel, in less than five minutes you'll become reality's greatest fashion star that ever lived. And for that, you just might be my number one model to really bring up my reputation yet."

"I appreciate that, Jack. A photography teacher of mine one said to always take the shot. I'm gonna need it."

As the show was about to begin, the stage had lit up while the crowd had waited to see their new models shine on stage with the paparazzi ready to snap some photos for the new models including myself. There was now spot lights lit up and roaming around stage as the show announcer spoke on the intercom.

 _"Ladies and gentlemen. Welcome to the 30th annual women's Ventura Fashion Show. Presenting LA's top thirty high ranking fashion models from Ventura Studios. And now, presenting the one and only. LA's infamous model producer, Jack Divine."_

The crowd applauded and cheered as Divine walked on stage waving to the crowd with a spotlight shining on him. He held a microphone in his hand and began talking to the audience once the round of applause was calmed.

"Good evening ladies and gentlemen. It's a special night tonight here at Ventura. I would like to say that these ladies have worked so hard to make it here on this show and are proud to become the top thirty. We will begin from number thirty all the way to number one. Without further or do, meet LA's top thirty Ventura fashion models!"

 **"Come With Me Now" - Kongos**

When Divine walked off stage, music began playing and show began. The first lady to show off her style walked on stage and started posing for the paparazzi. Then the second young woman walked on after her to impress the crowd. And so forth. When it was my turn, it was my moment of triumph to fame myself for everyone in LA to see.

 _"And finally, our number one contestant. She's our youngest model to compete for Ventura yet. Please welcome, the number one model from Ventura Studios, Rachel Amber."_

I walk on stage to show off everyone what I've got and what it means to be the number one fashion star in LA. The spotlight shines upon me and the crowd goes wild. The flashing of cameras from the paparazzi becomes confetti on my parade. When I walk to the front of the stage with my hand on my hip and my elbow shifting back and forth, I do one stunning pose to another stunning pose.

The crescendo of the hollering crowd and music playing during the show is my land of heaven above the clouds. My halo above my head. And my American dream come true. If only Chloe were to see what I've become now. She would be better off adoring the fortitude of my career than abhorring my deception of my abandonment. As of this moment forward, all that mattered was my moment of triumph and what I've grown up to be. Thanks to my ambition for transforming myself into a fashion star and Jack Divine himself. That's all that mattered to me.

 **Note: And that's the story of Rachel Amber and Jack Divine working together in LA. Short, but kept minimal. I didn't want to make this flashback story too long just so I can get back to the story from the present. With school and everything typically occupying the week, writing this chapter took longer than usual.**

 **Until next time, stay golden!**


	5. Now

Chapter 5 Now

Chloe

April 14th, 2014

11:50 AM

10 Miles From Arcadia Bay

Kettle Lake Lodge

"So, all that time while I cried myself to sleep for six months until the day Max came back to me, Jack Divine had been mentoring you all those months to do the one thing we had been dreaming for the past three years?"

"You don't have to believe me, Chloe. But he really did."

"And you did this by mind tricking people and manipulating people like you did with everyone at Blackwell?"

"Only reason how I made my own club competing against the Vortex Club. And the only reason why I'm good liar to everyone. Even you, of course."

I chuckle.

"Oh, Rachel. Sometimes you never cease to amaze me. Max was no different from you. Which is why I loved you the way I love Max. When I had found out about your thing between you and Frank, I knew you had just been pushing me away all the time. When I had found your body in that dump, I thought were gone forever. And now you're telling me you faked your death just for this Jack Divine thing your telling me. How much more do I have to live through in my life losing the most important that mean too much to me."

"Sometimes you have to understand how the world works in order to avoid the contingencies that make you lose the ones you love the most in the blink of an eye. It's all part of life experience."

"Last I checked, we were here for more than just your story with Divine in LA. You have a lead on Max's setup or don't you?"

"Right, I guess it's about time we get down to business then. Let's get to it."

We come inside the lodge and Rachel show's me what she had been looking into on Max. The first thing she shows me is some info on her desktop computer. What she shows me is something quite interesting for a lead.

"I did a little research on the Prescotts' history with Chrysalis. Here's what I found. Before Chrysalis was founded, way before Chrysalis was founded, the Prescott family were to first people to discover time alteration. In the late 1800's, Dr. Ezra M. Prescott, a meteorologist who studied the Chaos Theory; AKA the Butterfly Effect, was the first person on the planet to discover time travel powers. By actually withholding the power for himself. He pretty much became the world's first time traveler."

"Whoa, wait. Late 1800's? The discovery of time travel is that old? And it was founded by a Prescott during that era? Sheesh. Keep going."

"According to his biography, he claimed that he was able to rewind time to erase all the mistakes he made and even jumped through time by focusing on a picture frame to prevent the death of his wife so they could have children. After a while, Ezra had discovered side effects to his powers that appeared to be killing him. So created a drug that was able to heal his powers called Chronox. In order to create the drug Chronox, he needed his blood which been exposed to chronons giving his power."

"Hold on. You're saying he was able to discover time travel and create a drug for the side effects at same time? Did anyone else even catch what he was doing? Does Max take this drug called Chronox or what not?"

"It doesn't say Chloe. What it does say though is that the discovery of time travel had been passed on to the Prescotts for generations. Throughout the decades, the Prescotts themselves wanted to make this discovery top secret. During the early 1900's, the family eventually came to the revelation that Ezra had not been the first time travelers at all. Long before the Prescott family even existed, the first time travelers came from a sacred cult/religion called the Order of Saint Loomis."

"The Order of Saint Loomis?"

"That's right. The St. Loomis order was a cult that lasted for centuries all the way up to the 1800's. The basic history with the order is that they had the power to control time and space whenever they wanted to and that worshiped a Greek mythological god of time named Chronos. Who they treated as their deity. They also performed sacred rituals that created storms to wipe out their enemies when wars had broke out. There's even a prophecy that the order had made saying that time will come to it's end and when that day comes, everyone walking the earth will enter a new world, a new genesis, a new life where everyone will live when time comes to it's end. They called this world, Elysium."

"Elysium?"

"Elysium is defined as a conception of the afterlife that developed over time and was maintained by Greek religion and philosophy. The St. Loomis order had a hierarchy for every on of those beliefs. In 1937, Harry A. Prescott (son of Ezra Prescott) discovered the storm rituals the Order of St. Loomis performed and found them to be dangerous to use. Since then, they completely abandoned their findings of the rituals."

"Okay, so far your giving me history lesson about the Prescotts and their relationship with time travel. As well as the sacred order of Loomis and this parallel universe called Elysium. Nothing to do with Max's set up."

"I'm getting there, Chloe. Just hold on. In 1986, Sean Prescott graduated from a University in Scottsdale, Arizona where he received degree in law & business. Since then, he wanted to begin his dream in revealing his family secrets and make people believe time travel still existed. In 1999, the Chrysalis Corporation was founded by Sean Prescott himself and his co-founders Derrick Crosby (CEO) and Sabian Sorenson (CSO). And here's where my lead comes."

"Where does it come in?"

"Over the years after it's foundation, incidents of whether disasters spread a across the globe. Such as Hurricane Katrina in 2005 and the Tokyo tsunami of 2011. Chrysalis had theorized that disasters as such could come from time alteration abuse. The company had spent a majority of the 2000's and a little bit of the early 2010's hunting down people who possibly had the power to manipulate time and apprehending them for their accusations of these disasters. The U.S. government became aware of the problem and ordered Chrysalis to capture and prosecute anyone with time powers facing the allegation of causing supernatural disasters. Which is what Max is facing."

"Okay, so...how does that make it a lead?"

"Think about it, Chloe. The Prescotts have history with time travel. A Prescott form the 1800's becomes a time traveler, they discover storm rituals, and now they make an alliance with Chrysalis. My theory is that the storm that hit Arcadia may have been ritualized. Not caused by the aftereffects of time powers."

"And your suspecting the Prescotts have something to do with the storm? That they performed crazy twister rituals?"

"That's not all, Chloe. Another reason I'm suspecting them is because they also had an involvement with Jefferson's dark room. According to records, Sean Prescott had helped Mr. Jefferson fund for that dark room and to be built as a storm bunker. You and Max saw it yourself they it was built. My guess is that is not only built for Jefferson to kidnap teenagers and perform torture porn on them, it could've been built for the tornado that struck the town. They must've know somehow it was coming and there's only one place in Arcadia where we would find out how."

I scoff.

"Rachel, you did not just go there."

"Yes, Chloe. I just did."

"Hella to the no. No way we're going there."

"Chloe, just listen-"

"There's no way on Earth I'm letting you risk our lives breaking into Prescott property just to find intel on this lead. Your still a fugitive from Chrysalis. For all we know, if we get caught, we'll become the same criminals Max is now."

"If you got any better plans that can help clear Max's name, I'm all ears."

I sigh. Rachel turn around back to her computer pretending to listen for my voice that would spit out any better ideas than what she had in mind. But it didn't. I had to come to terms with Rachel's plan one way or another.

"Fine, we'll stick with your suicide mission breaking into the Mr. Prickscott's home. As a long as you have a best laid plan to do so."

"If I didn't, Chloe, I wouldn't have dragged you down here now would I?"

"Well then, I listening."

We walk over to a table in the dining room where Rachel had a map of Prescott Manor displayed. She had pinpointed locations of guard posts and surveillance cams on the map as well as other security measure posted around the household. With everything set on her map, she was able to talk her plan through.

"So I spent some time observing the Prescott residence and was able to make every security measure possible. Which includes guards from both Chrysalis security and Prescott's private security. Since Chrysalis has entrance into town guarded, I figured we could enter the sewer systems that'll take us straight into the back lawn in order to break in."

"Ugh. The sewers? Really? What sewer system would take us directly into Prescott turf?"

"There's a pipeline we can enter from the waterfront outside of town that'll take us there. Now, if we keep a low profile and manage to pass the guards we should be able to inside the household without attracting any attention. When we get inside, we first have to go into the security room and disable the cams and every other surveillance equipment in the vicinity."

"Okay, hold on. It sounds to me that the place will be crawling with guards and if there's cameras scanning the area, they might catch us before we even step one foot into the mansion. What crazy plan do you have in avoiding that."

"Just let me finish, alright? Anyways, once we just down the equipment, we try looking for a place inside the mansion where they might be hiding intel about what they know about time travel and it just might help us take another step into proving Max's innocence. Also, there may be time when I need to use my powers just to even the odds. It can be our best friend out there in the field."

"What's new, Rachel. Like I said, you really aren't no different from Max. Not because you have the same powers she has, but because you can really think just like her. That's what I'm starting to like about you."

"Then I guess we have a plan then. Just on one condition. There's equipment I have down in the basement that we're gonna need for our little heist mission. Follow me."

I follow Rachel to the back of lodge outside where she takes me to the basement doors. We walk down into the dark basement and when Rachel turns the lights on, what I find is a full on weaponry of guns and hacking tools. Her arsenal had been stocked up with rifles, shotguns, explosives, ammunition, and even rocket launchers. Was it me, or did Rachel somehow turn herself into a gun runner?

"Holy shit, Rachel. Where did you get all this junk, Rambo? You've got hella weapons to fight ISIS."

"I spent most of my money I made in LA on these weapons to defend myself against Chrysalis. Not ISIS, smart ass. Now let me show you what we need."

Rachel sets the supplies we need for our heist on a workbench in her armory. This is what she shows me.

"Lock picks to open doors. Tranquilizer guns to knock out guards. Hand guns that shoot bullets just incase. And finally, we're gonna need this."

"What is that? Chronon Harness. For when I need my powers."

"What the hell is a Chronon Harness? Where did you even get all this junk anyways?"

"This harness is to keep people from getting exposed to time alteration. For those unexposed to chronon cells. Anyone exposed to those cells are immune to time alteration and those cells are source of the powers me and Max have. Since I'm exposed, I won't be needing to wear. But you will because your not exposed."

"Right. Anything else you what to add to this crazy heist mission?"

"Just one more thing before you go. I spoke to Frank and talked him into doing this. What he's going to do is scan our location on his computer through satellite and hack into equipment if he has to. That'll be another way to even the odds."

"Oh, great. Now we're bringing Frank into this. As if he hasn't been harassed enough already. Besides, what does he know about hacking into things on a computer?"

"Chloe, I know my boyfriend, okay? He may not be the greatest man on the planet to rely upon, but he's a man of his word. As long as others like ourselves can keep their word in return."

"Rachel, I'm just saying Frank isn't a guy who's that great with favors. So don't come crying to him if he fucks anything up, alright?"

"No one's gonna come crying to anybody. After all, the longer me and Frank had hooked up, the longer I managed to teach him things he could never learn. All the more reason he tries his hardest to be a better person despite his shit reputation. So are we cool? We got ourselves a plan?"

"Fair enough. You got yourself a plan."

I bump my fist with Rachel's and slap my hand onto hers then shaking it making our plan. My phone then bleeps with text message from Mom.

 **Mom: Chloe, sweetie, where r u?**

 **Chloe: I'm at Rachel's lodge outside of town. Don't tell anyone I'm with her!"**

 **Mom: That Crosby man called and says that you'll be allowed to visit Max at this hour where she's being held. It's a pretty far drive from here. If u want to go there, just drive safely and be careful when ur there.**

 **Mom: It doesn't sound like a safe place for visitors to be. So just stay outta trouble and do as ur told if u go there.**

 **Chloe: Alright, mom. I'll go there right now. Thx 4 letting me know.**

 **Mom: Don't take too long. Visiting hours end at 4pm.**

 **Chloe: ok**

 **Mom: BTW Chloe, I talked to David about what Crosby wanted to help you with and he's gonna want a discussion about it soon.**

 **Chloe: Okay, mom. We'll talk later. Thx. I'll be on my way to visit Max now. Love u.**

 **Mom: Love u too sweet pee.**

 **Note: So incase your wondering more about this history of time travel along with the Prescotts, I did the best I could thinking about what I was going to write. I didn't want to think too hard. I wanted to keep it minimal and save the extra info for later chapters in this episode. It should get more interesting in the future.**

 **Until next time, stay golden!**


	6. Arraignment

Chapter 6 Arraignment

Max

April 14th, 2014

3:03 PM

25 miles from Arcadia Bay

Quantum Prospekt

I sit at a table in the mpr where I ate the nasty prison food. The room is empty. I'm the only one in the room other than prison guards standing by the entrance watching me while I wait for my visitors. Warden Moss informed me I was scheduled to have another visit with Crosby. I waited patiently at the table I was sitting by. Then Crosby walked through the door in the nick of time and sat across from where I was sitting.

"So what is that you want to talk about now," I ask.

"I spoke to Chloe this morning and she's willing to help. I also spoke to her Mother Joyce she approves your friend's assistance."

"What about her Step-Father, David?"

"To be determined. He still hasn't had the time to talk things through with Joyce, but he's aware of my offer."

"Sometimes I think you like me too much to keep me here. Yet here I am under Prickscott's authority. Not yours."

Crosby smiled.

"To be honest, Max, there's something I told Chloe that I never got to tell you. You're a miracle to me. There's something too special about you and your girlfriend that made me want to be a friend to you. That is why I'm going easy on you."

"Let me guess. You feel sorry for me making Chloe go through this after everything I've done for her. There must something bigger than that, isn't there?"

"I don't just feel sorry for you and Chloe. I'm doing this because I know you deserve better and I know your innocent. We just have to prove your innocence. Many people like yourself have been falsely punished for Quantum Terrorist attacks. People older than you. You're the first person I know you has been the youngest to ever face allegations like these and I'll be damned if your fate is everyone else's."

"That's still not explaining to me what's so special about me and my girlfriend."

"Consider that a question you know the answer to. Your parents, even Joyce told me all about your history with Chloe. How you first met each other when you were just children. How you became the greatest childhood friends to each other since. Until the day came when Chloe's father was tragically killed in an accident. I think more about your affairs than about your allegations. To come to think of it, it could be the key reason you have your powers. As a man with the greatest intelligence of time travel, your powers aren't meant to destroy. They're meant to change. We both know your power is the reason Chloe is still sucking air everyday. Therefore, your power wasn't given to you in vain. If there is just one possibility your innocent, there should be no hesitation to waste that opportunity now. That is what I never got to tell you despite the consequences. That simple."

"So your only being so sentimental to me because of my everlasting love and friendship for Chloe. As much as I want to appreciate your sympathy, I would love to demand my name to be cleared ASAP. Unfortunately, it'll take more than just my deepest bond I have in my life to do that."

"There is another major reason I've come here, Max. Before there can be a trial, we have to set up an arraignment for you. In forty-five minutes from now, we'll be putting a judge on a video screen in this room for your plea. It's the only way to determine if the trial will happen or not."

"An arraignment? In here? Why here? Why wouldn't my hearing be in a courtroom or something?"

"Releasing Quantum Terrorist who are considered too dangerous to be brought into a courtroom for arraignment is against regulations. It has to be held here. So here's how it's going to go. You plead not guilty, you'll be put on trial and I do my best to win the case. You plead guilty, we neuter your powers and you'll either be given the life or death sentence. Once again, that simple."

"How do you possibly neuter someone's time powers exactly?"

"It matters not. What matters is that whatever you chose, your decision is final. They'll be no going backwards after that. If I were you, I would most definitely plead not guilty if you think a trial would be the absolute best for you."

"Mr. Crosby, wait. I have one more question if you don't mind me asking."

"Ask away."

"What's going on with Rachel? What's Chrysalis doing about her?"

"Rachel is still a fugitive wanted by Chrysalis. What we do to you, we do to her. It's that simple."

As soon as Crosby left the table, my Dad all of a sudden came in the room to talk. He sat across from me where Crosby had just sat and started another conversation with me about my indictment. I wasn't sure what he had still been doing here since it had been hours since his last visit with me in the interrogation room. Maybe it had something to do with my arraignment.

"What are you still doing here," I ask my Father.

"Same reason you're still doing here," he answers. "You never really gave me and your Mother the complete story on how this happened as we expected you to. You only gave us a summary."

"Why isn't Mom here to hear the whole story then?"

"I tried talking her into hearing the whole story with you, but she got to overemotional to do so. I want to consider this a redo. So start talking so I can make sure she knows the whole thing, too."

I clear my throat.

"As I've explained before, the first my powers had manifested to myself was when I witnessed Nathan and Chloe having a fight with each in a bathroom at Blackwell. My power sent me back minutes earlier so I would prevent Chloe from getting killed. Moments later, me and Chloe meet each other for the first time again and I tell her that I can rewind time. The next day, I convince her that my powers are real and then I save her again from getting hit by a train using my rewind power."

"Hit by a train? With your rewind power? And then what?"

"Then Kate tries to jump off a room and I save her from doing so by manipulating time as well. I blamed Nathan in the Principle's office for Kate's attempted suicide because he had drugged her during a Vortex Club party. After that, me and Chloe decide to find out what happened to her missing friend Rachel. As a result of discovering what happened to her, it turned out that my teacher Mr. Jefferson as well as Nathan Prescott was behind it all and murdered her six months prior."

"Rachel? You mean Rachel Amber? Last I recall she's a criminal to Chrysalis just like yourself. What exactly do mean murdered."

"Truth be told, she faked her death. That's another story. When we had found her body; or at least her fake body, Jefferson had ambushed the two of us by injecting me with a knockout drug and shot Chloe to death. When I woke up, I was tied to a chair in this room with a white screen and camera equipment. Jefferson called it the Dark Room. He had used it to develop his torture porn taking pictures of other girls and overdosed them. Chloe's Step-Father David then showed up, fought off Jefferson, and helped me escape. As soon as I got out of there, I jumped back in time to the moment before Jefferson entrapped us and warned Chloe about everything. After that, that's when the storm had emerged."

I gulp before finishing the last part of the story. I didn't want to get emotional bringing this up again. At least my Father might understand why if he's at least getting a better understanding of the truth by now.

"We made our way to the lighthouse where we would be safe from the storm. At that very moment, that's when I realized what I've done. Each and every time I took control of time, I was only setting up a supernatural catastrophe. Chloe then made me an offer to take care of business and change the tide of what I did."

A tear runs down from my eye. I wasn't surprised it was going to happen. I still continued to rap the story up.

"She wanted me to go back to the Nathan shot her and sacrifice herself to save those six-hundred souls that had been lost to that storm. I obviously refused. I couldn't do it. I just couldn't. I didn't want her to die again. I love her. Chloe is so much more to me than you realize. She deserves a lot better than dying in a fucking bathroom!"

I couldn't talk anymore. I had said enough. I cover my face with both my hands and begin to sob. My Dad tries calming me down and makes me stop feeling sorry for myself.

"Max, look at me. Stop crying and look at me."

I uncover my face and look at my Father in the eye. My eyes may be still soaking tears, but I stop crying as hard as I can.

"I get it now, okay? I understand. You were given a power. You didn't ask for it. And you saved Chloe. You only did what you thought was right. Every choice has it's consequence. What bothers me and your Mother is that you never said anything about this before. Why didn't you tell us? Better yet, show us this problem you have before you ended up here?"

"You expect me to just think you and Mom would believe the story of Max 'The Time Traveler' Caulfield? Let alone show you my super powers of time destruction? Assuming you would take it well? For me, that would be a lot more easier said than done. That's why I didn't say anything."

"Max, this is serious, you know. In the position you're in now, I think you were better off telling us the moment you came to us than letting yourself get locked away in a prison full of loons."

"After everything me and Chloe had through that week, you think I was supposed to just freak you and Mom out with my powers? Do you even know what you're asking me?"

"Max! This is it. The point of this conversation is that we let you go back to Arcadia Bay for one minute and this is what you put us through. When you could've stayed with us in Seattle. And now look what your Mother and I have to live through. We let you stay in Arcadia thinking it was all because of Chloe. Little did we know that our daughter was endangering herself with this so called Quantum Terrorism charade you got yourself into. Just why, Max? Why?! Why would you do this to us? Why?"

I don't answer his. My Father and I remain silent. I think about what I'm going to say until I actually say it. And then I say it.

"I've already told you the reason why. Assuming that's what you wanted to hear in that interrogation room. Why can't that be enough?"

"Say what you will. In a few minutes from now, you'll be talking to a judge through a video screen and be asked about how you plead. However you plead, it's going to be final."

"Dad, maybe I'd like to ask you something. Do you and Mom still love me? Even if I'm a criminal accused of a crime I did or did not commit? Do you?"

"Max, there is nothing in this world that would stop me or your Mother from loving you. Not even when our little girl is convicted of something she did or didn't commit. That is why we want to know the real reason why you're here. It's as simple as that."

My Dad gets off the table and walks out with yet another visitor coming over to where I'm sitting. And It's none other than the love of my life herself. My blue angel with butterfly wings coming over to see her imprisoned Jane Doe. You know who. I was beginning to wonder when she would be allowed to see me like this. She approaches me with a half pissed and half relieved look on her face. Whatever the look on her face was, at least my surrendering wasn't the last we were to see each other. She sits down in the same spot my last two visitors sat and our conversation begins.

"I know what your going to say to me, Chloe. After everything we've been through, after everything I did to keep my promise six months in a row, I finally break it apart by bailing on you once again. What else do you need to say?"

My eyes are still drying from the tears. Chloe must think I'm just feeling sorry for myself with the look I'm giving her. But in her eyes, it's more than just that.

"We've had this kind of discussion once too many times, Max. And you may be right. Those words really would've been the first to crawl out of my mouth the second I walked in here. You really did not have to do this, you know. I'm now left with the one person who shut me out for over a year over a person who shut me out for over decade. Did you even think about that when you locked yourself up in this dungeon full of time loons? Just why is it that no matter how hard we try to stick like glue, the world always tries and makes us unglue ourselves?"

"I've been asking myself the same question since I got here. It was either me or Rachel, Chloe. When I made the decision to turn myself in, I thought to myself, who was I to let Rachel take the fault for my troubles if we let her turn herself in instead? I just had to be the one true person to except the consequences of the vain sacrifice I made for you six months ago. When I could've just let Nathan kill you to prevent all of this. Instead, I chose six hundred lives over yours knowing how hard it would hurt for both of us. Ever since the day I made my ultimatum by that lighthouse, I never thought the consequences would get as worse as this. Ever since my first visions about the end of time, I knew deep down war was coming and that the storm was just the beginning. I only waited for someone to pull the trigger. I would assume you came for more than just the two of us to rant and rave over my indictment."

"First of all, Crosby came over to my house earlier this morning and offered me a way to help you get out of this mess in court. I agreed to it. Mom agreed to it. David on the other hand is TBD. Second of all, Rachel has some leads that could clear your name and I thought you might like to hear them."

"Whatever clears my name quicker, Chloe, I'm all ears."

"Rachel had done some research on the history the Prescotts' involvement with time travel and it turns out that a Prescott from the late eighteen hundreds had been first in the family tree to discover the supernatural powers of the butterfly effect so to speak."

"The Prescotts discovered time travel? One from the eighteen hundreds? Damn, how did they figure that out that long ago?"

"Well, history tells that they have kept their discovery top secret and it's been passed on to their family for generations since. Sean Prescott on the other hand not only represents Chrysalis but had also been a co-founder of the company, too. Bottom line, Rachel thinks the Prescotts might have been involved with the storm somehow and that they knew it was coming."

"We're now claiming the Prescotts had something to do with this?"

"That's not all, Max. They weren't even the first people to uncover that kind of supernatural power. According to what Rachel found, there was this sacred cult that last from the 11th century to the 18th century called the Order of St. Loomo or some shit."

"You mean Order of St. Loomis? Rachel found some information about that?"

"Yeah, from what she found, that had this religion that had hierarchy for Greek mythology. Some God named Chronos was their deity and they had performed storm rituals that would destroy their enemies or something. Rachel has a theory that someone learned about those rituals and whoever did, set you up. That's all she's got."

"And how do you suppose that'll prove my innocence?"

"Until we find the fucker who did so, only then can your innocence be proven. As far as my knowledge and Rachel's goes, we don't know if the Prescotts were involved or not. And I'm not going to rest until we find out if that true or not."

"Chloe, listen. Whatever it is that I think you're about to do, you don't have to do it."

"Yes, I do have to do it actually."

"Chloe, I know what it is your thinking. You and Rachel want to stick your noses into Prescott business just to get me out of here. After what happened the week my powers came sabotaging my life and how we risked our lives finding Rachel, it'll be even more dangerous when Mr. Prickscott has Chrysalis by his side."

"I know it will, Max. But you had made me promise you yourself. You save me. I save you in return. If you can't be there to save me from dying all the time, Rachel will. I'm getting you out of here and that's that."

"Do what you have to do, Chloe. Whatever it takes, at least Rachel can be at your side. In a few minutes from now, I'll be talking to a judge on a TV screen who'll make me plead guilty or not guilty. If you would like to stick around for my arraignment, I'm sure you'll be more than welcome to."

"They did tell me about your arraignment. You damn right I'll be more than welcome to stick around. We both know what you'll be pleading considering the favor I'll be returning. You do that for the both of us."

About half an hour later, my arraignment starts. A television screen is displayed in front of me and I see the judge on screen. The judge is a middle aged man wearing glasses from the looks of him. The typical age group anyone with a law degree would be promoted to judge. The people gathered for my arraignment are both my parents, Karen and Burke from the DA, Crosby and Chloe who are at my defense, and surprisingly a lady with a typewriter. Who had been a court report for the hearing. Wasn't sure if it were against regulations or not, but all that mattered was that everyone including Chloe was gathered around for the hearing. There were also a few prison guards during the hearing, too. The judge began talking on screen.

 _"Case number 781 for Arcadia Bay Versus Max Caulfield. The defendant has been charged with Quantum Terrorism involving mass manslaughter of innocent citizens of Arcadia Bay, the destruction of Arcadia Bay, and the mass murder of soldiers from Chrysalis Corps during the Blackwell shooting. How does the defendant plead?"_

The woman with the typewriter stops writing. Everyone is staring at me awaiting my plea. The two DA's stare at me hoping that maybe I'll plead guilty. My parents stare at me hoping maybe I'll plead not guilty. I glance at Crosby and Chloe for a split second who nod at me knowing how imperative it'll be for me to plead not guilty for both my new sentimental father figure and my love life. I stare back at the judge on the screen still waiting to hear how I plead. I remember what Crosby had told me what will happen however I plead. I can no longer keep everyone waiting another second. And so, I make my plea. And I make it final.

 **X/SQUARE/LM - PLEAD GUILTY**

 **B/CIRCLE/RM - PLEAD NOT GUILTY**

"I plead not guilty."

 **Note:**

 **Well, I believe Max's plea was pretty obvious, anyhow. We all know how Chloe and everyone else would feel however Max plead. As you may have guessed, the next chapter will be related to Rachel and Chloe beginning their mission to clear Max's name.**

 **In the meantime, I want to wish everyone following this story a Happy Halloween and wish me good luck for the future of this fiction. I hope this chapter was interesting enough to write.**

 **As always, stay golden!**


	7. Desperate Times

Chapter 7 Desperate Times

Rachel

April 14th, 2014

6:10 PM

3 miles from Arcadia Bay

Arcadia Shores

I had called my boyfriend Frank and told him to meet me and Chloe at Arcadia Shores three miles from town. We take my bike to get to our meeting area and prepare for our heist mission at the Prescott Estate. I give Chloe more details on what to expect when we break in.

"There's something I need you to know when we get there, Chloe."

"What is it?"

"The Prescotts are having a meeting at there place with the accord. Prescott Accord. They'll also be having a meeting with some of their clients. That's going to include Crosby, Principle Wells, O'Donohue, and Dr. Sorenson."

"Who's Dr. Sorenson?"

"Sorenson's one of the co-founders of Chrysalis. Prescott is arranging a meeting with everyone supporting the accord and Chrysalis. He's also setting up a dinner party with his campaign contributors as well as Chrysalis and Prescott Accord supporters. So they'll be some festivities going on in the household and we're gonna have to expect heavy security guarding the place, too."

"So we're doing this during a private party Prescott had scheduled. This should be exciting."

"We're just gonna go in there, found some leads, get super stealthy around the guards, and then we're getting the hell out of there. With some help from frank, as well."

We reach Arcadia Shores and I park the bike in the lot where Frank has his Caravan parked. Then we step off the bike, collect our gear and walk up to the RV.

"So remind me why I have to wear this harness again," asks Chloe with the harness on.

"So your not exposed to time alteration. Remember, time alteration can only work on people unexposed to Chronon particles. Meaning that if were to rewind or stop time, you won't be exposed to it with that harness on. Trust me, it'll work."

I knew that Chloe didn't seem to hold my trust accountable after leaving her all those months, but she had an important person in her life that need her name cleared. And only I was going to be held accountable for solving the problem.

"Rachel, wait. Just one more thing."

I stop in my tracks and turn around to face Chloe. Who has one more thing to ask before knocking on Frank's door.

"You really want to bring Frank into this. I mean, ever since we thought you were dead, Frank got himself into a pretty depressing state getting drunk and getting high all the time because of your death. Your death that is. I really don't think we should make him stress out over business that isn't his."

"Too late, Chloe. I already made it his business. I already told Frank what we'll do and to get ready. We'll be talking to each other through earphones during this heist and he'll be tracking our locations via satellite like I said. He knows what he's doing."

"Whatever you say. I'm telling ya, Rachel. If we get caught and they find out Frank was in on this, it's on you and me."

I knock on Frank's door and we wait for him to answer when we approach his mobile home. The door opens and Frank steps out of the RV.

"Well, lookie here," he said. "Elsa and Anna. Why can't y'all just let it go."

I chuckle at the reference Frank made. Comparing us to a Disney film.

"You're a real comedian, Frank," I said. "I assume you got the merchandise?"

"I got everything you asked. Here, take your stupid hearing aids."

"They're called earphones, smart ass. If your sober enough to understand that satellite uplink I sent you, we'd really appreciate that."

"Why of course, smart ass. I use Google Maps as my GPS to get from place to place. I know how to use a fucking satellite, thank you."

"Oh, like you know how to drink booze all day long," Chloe interrupted. "Never seen you use Google Maps these days."

"Hey, considering those Prescott and Chrysalis shits taking over Arcadia, I want to be held accountable for any fuck ups you make on this mission breaking into Prescott turf. Don't you dare give me shit about drinking booze."

"Both of you, we really don't need to start an argument, okay," I intervene. "Right now, we've got a heist to pull off. The sooner we get it started, the sooner we bust Max out of jail. Let's go."

"Hey," Frank scolds before we leave. "Just so you know, Rachel, we ain't talking yet. Assuming you somehow survive this suicide quest, you owe me a nice long chat about what you were up to out of town and how you got yourself into becoming some time bending x-man aside and a Chrysalis fugitive on the loose after this. Comprende?"

"Comprende, schmende. I'll tell you the rest of my story later when I can. Right now we got work to do. Now let's do this thing."

Frank walks back into his RV and me and Chloe put our earphones on. The two of us walk down to the nearby sewer entrance where we would get to the Prescott Estate.

"So you haven't told him, have you," said Chloe.

"No I haven't. I've been too busy handling Max's case just to tell him the whole Jack Divine story as well as my story with Chrysalis. I did tell him and show him my powers though. His reaction was no different from yours. So what did Max have to say about what we have for her when you paid her a visit? And how did she plead during her arraignment?"

"Well, predictable enough, she pleaded not guilty. She really didn't have much to say about what we found, though. I did tell her what we were going to do to help her, however. I just really hope we don't break into this place all for nothing."

"Trust me, Chloe. This is the only place we're gonna find out at any cost. No matter what the cost, we're gonna make it count. You bet on that."

The entrance to the pipeline is through a flood hole built into a cliff side by the shorefront. Before we enter, I make we're able to patch through to Frank with our com devices.

"Testing," I say talking through my earphone. "I said testing."

 _"I hear you loud and clear, Rach."_

"Good. How bout you, Chloe. Are you able to speak to Chloe with these on Frank?"

 _"This is Frank to Chloe. Come in Chloe, over. Earth to Chloe. If you can hear my voice, please acknowledge, over."_

"It's your conscience, Frank. It's Chloe "The Rebel" Price, over. I read you loud clear."

"You heard the lady, Frank," I reply. "We'll be entering the pipeline now. If the radio goes patchy, it only mean we won't be able to communicate, over."

 _"And what exactly happens when the radio doesn't go patchy?"_

"Then we're out of the sewers and we've soiled onto Mr. Prescott's lawn. That's what happens. Do you see that hacking tool I sent to your device?"

 _"Yeah, I do see it actually. Not sure why I need a hacking tool on my laptop to begin with, anyway."_

"In case we get ourselves into a tenuous situation with Prescott's goons and even up the odds. That's why."

"So now I have to play Geek Squad with this thing just to get you out of trouble. Don't you have powers or something to help you do that?"

"Yes, Frank, I do. But we can't rely that much on my powers on this mission. Even a time bender has his or her limits."

"Yeah, Frank. Her time abilities are limited, you know. They aren't infinite. Same rules apply with Max's powers. Nothing last forever."

 _"Whatever you say, ya time tampering freaks. Frank out."_

We walk through the sewer system leading to Prescott Estate. It got a little dark walking through the pipeline, but we had flashlights with us to light up the darkness. The sewers were infested with rats, cockroaches, and waste water. Chloe's experience strolling through the sewage tunnels was less than enjoyable.

"Uh, I hate the smell of sewers," Chloe wined. "Could it be anymore non-sanitary down here than it needs to be?"

"What do you expect, Chloe? A plumber? We go a little more ways to go so get used to while you can."

"You know, Rachel, I never did ask. How were able to escape Jeffershit's dark room of torture on your own? Max was able to escape with my Step-Cop's help. Exactly how did you make out alive by yourself?"

"That's rather an excellent question to bring up, Chloe. I used my mind trick powers to make them let me go and to use Nathan to pay me money to get out of town. It was little more then just Jeffershit and the son of Prickscott forcing me out of town and to make everyone believe I died. I made sure to tell Frank that, too."

"Another thing. About what Prickscott forced you and Max to do, do ever think you should've been the one to surrender?"

"Chloe, if it were up to me, I think Max made the right choice. You would've had a more difficult time trying to erase Max's name if I hadn't been here. There's no point of dwelling on the contrary."

"So what exactly are you hoping to find once we make a break for Prickscott Manor?"

"Anything that can make a more sensuous connection between the Prescotts and their relationship with quantum phenomena. And maybe we'll start to find ourselves better answers that can prove Max is innocent. That's what I'm hoping to find. Just remember I'm doing this for you."

"Haven't forgotten, Rach. Just remember that we don't want to be getting ourselves into trouble for nothing either."

Traveling further down the pipeline, we eventually see a ladder that reaches toward a manhole cover. That would obviously be our exit out of the sewers as well as our entry to our destination.

"Here we are," I said. "This is it. This is where we get out of these unsanitary conditions."

"About time," said Chloe. "You sure this is the right exit?"

"If I hadn't mapped out the route that would take us where we need to go, I wouldn't be sure. After you?"

Chloe nodded and made me go first instead. I climb the ladder to the manhole and Chloe climbs up after me. I reach to the top, open the cover, and peek through to check if the area we were coming into was all clear.

"All clear," I said.

We crawl out of the manhole that takes us into the back courtyard of Prescott Estate. We then hide behind a bush and contact Frank to let him know we've reached our destination.

"Frank, it's Rachel. We've arrived at our destination. You think you can be able to hack into the security feed?"

 _"Well it's about damn time. Do I think I can hack into the security feed? I'll try. You'll just have to give me a sec."_

"Oh, I forgot," said Chloe. "We got security cameras to worry about. There's no way we're gonna slip this by without them knowing we're here."

"Not if Frank can help it. Frank, have you patched into the feed yet?"

 _"I'm almost there, Rach. Just give me one more second. There, I got it."_

"What do you see, Frank?"

 _"Jesus Christ, Rachel. I'm not sure what kind of convention you've got yourself into, but the place is packed with guards and look at the organization they have here. This nut job not only has his standard private security, he's also got security officers from Chrysalis, too. Even guys dressed in tactical gear carrying guns. That should be exciting."_

"Anything else?"

 _"Huh, look at these guys. They're wearing some kind of hazmat suits with some sort of high voltage electrical gear on their backs. And now somehow they just vanished into thin air. Can't find them anywhere else on my feed."_

"Can you get some footage from inside the house? Tell me what you see if you do."

 _"Let me see here. Well this looks inviting. Looks like they're setting up some kind of party or whatever. No wonder they have so many guards."_

"Can you get some more footage from anywhere else?"

 _"I think I got some feed from the front of the house. I see some expensive ass cars and limousines parked in front and those Prescott shits talking a few of their Chrysalis douches. Well, would you look at this. I see some chick that just walked out of a limo and she looks like the state secretary or something."_

"State secretary?"

 _"That's what it looks like, yeah."_

"Okay, Frank. We're gonna try and cut through the backyard and find a way inside. You think you can try and jam the camera feed from our location?"

 _"I can try jamming it, but it looks like I can only do it temporarily. Okay then. If you see us on camera, jam the feed immediately. Got that? Do you got that?"_

"Yeah, Rachel. I got that. Frank out."

"For fuck sake, Rachel. You really want to bet our lives with that many guards?"

I use my time vision to see if Frank was right about the place. And he was. We were going to need the bravery to get as stealthy as we possibly could getting past every guard post. I get out our tranquilizer guns for two of us to use when we need them.

"Here take this. Just listen to me very carefully. We need to stay close to each other. Whenever we see a guard, stick to the shadows and take cover. We can either take one out, or let them pass. Understood?"

"Affirmative, Rachel. I assume Frank will take of the cameras and we can take the guards with these tranquilizers, also."

"Right. By the way, these tranquil guns have real lousy range. So if we use them, we use them at close quarters."

"Alright, then. Let's get on with it and go home."

The Prescotts had a Hedge Maze built in there backyard. Making our way inside was going to be a hot mess if we had to find an exit out of a maze and get past a dozen guards in the vicinity just to get indoors. Thank god for my time vision and all my other amazing powers. Otherwise, the odds wouldn't be in out favor.

"Out of all the things the Prickscotts could've built in their backyard, the just had to build a Maze."

"Keep your voice down, Chloe. They'll hear us if we're too loud."

We check our corners making sure we don't bump into guards. I use my time vision to make sure we don't bump into guards. Our first batch of guards we come across is two of Prescott's bodyguards dressed in suits and shades. We take cover behind a bush until we figure out how to deal with them.

"Well, Rach, how do you want to care of these men in black?"

"Easy, we make them go night-night. You got your gun loaded?"

"It's got a dart in it, yeah."

"Well, then. On my go, take 'em with your tranquillizer. Ready? Three-two-one-go."

We both step out of cover and shoot our knock-out darts at the who drop to the ground once they're hit. That was two down on the ground for us.

"Easy peasy," I said.

"Lemon squeezy," chuckled Chloe.

"Let's move."

Our next batch of guards we spot are located by a small bridge and a fountain in the center of the maze. Two of Prescott's private security agents taking point by the fountain and a Chrysalis security officer standing guard on the bridge.

"How are we going to take those two out if there's a guard on the bridge watching," asked Chloe.

"Easy we take the guy on the bridge out first, then the two by the fountain. We only have so many darts and can't rely on them to often. I'll dart the one on the bridge. Then we'll take other two down by hand."

"By hand?"

"We hit them on the head or something. Let me get a clear shot on the bridge guard. Once I dart him, I'll take the guard on the left. The one on the right is yours."

"Okay, then. Go for it."

I aim down with my sight carefully aiming for the guard on the bridge and dart him causing him to collapse over the bridge and hit the ground. The other two guards take notice and leave their post to investigate. I sneak upon the guard to the left while Chloe immediately goes for the one on the right.

As I approach my guy, I seize him by the throat, cover his mouth, and force him down on his knees sleep holding him. Chloe on the other hand tried to hit her guard on the head as hard as she could, but instead of him being knocked out instantly, it only forced the guard to be pushed forward. I turn to Chloe's side once my guard is unconscious and I think she's in trouble at first. But, before the guard turn around, Chloe grabs him from behind and knocks him on the concrete of the fountain. Close call.

"Damn, Chloe. You got more balls than I thought."

"You hella right I do. I don't believe I just knocked his ass out."

"Don't get cocky, Chloe. We still need to get out of this maze and into the household. Let's move."

We continue our way through the maze without bumping into dead ends. When we do run into a dead, we not only have to turn around, but we hear a guard whistling and see him pissing on the grass. We get behind cover so he not only sees us coming, but we don't have to watch him take a piss either.

"Uh, that's disgusting," whined Chloe. "Why the fuck is a guard pissing on Prickscott's lawn?"

"I don't know, Chloe. But we have to take him out. We don't want him turning around when he's done pissing and eventually finding us here."

"Do we really have to take him out when he needs privacy?"

"Who cares about privacy. Stay here. He's mine. Watch our backs."

I walks right out of cover while Chloe stays behind. When I approach the guard, I whistle behind him and knock him out with my fist as hard as I can. Then he drops to the ground with his penis sticking out. Eww. I think about pulling his pants up for, but there's no way a girl is gonna do that for a gentlemen. Chloe and I cringe at this inappropriate visual.

"Seriously, Rachel. Ya had to knock his ass out with his penis sticking out."

"Let's just get the fuck out of here and pretend I didn't just do that. Uh."

We're almost through the maze. Before we can reach the exit, I see and hear guard dogs tied to chains by the exit and we quickly get behind cover.

"Shit get down," I shout.

The dogs growl and bark at us even when we're hiding. Now we had to deal with two mutts before making our way out.

"Well this just keeps getting better," griped Chloe. "What the hell are we going to do about those dogs."

"You know what, I think I have something for them."

I dig inside our carrying bag with all our supplies inside and get out a piece of raw stake for the dogs to eat.

"Is that raw meat. Where did you get meat?"

"I figured they might have guard dogs here and I put sleeping pills in them so they won't be trouble. Now allow me to improvise."

I toss the meat towards the dogs and they take the bait. The two hounds reach for the raw stake that lands in front of them and fight over it. Once the meat is in they're mouths, they slowly begin to pass out until they lie down with they're eyes shut.

"You got to admit, Rach. You sure came prepared for those two mangy mutts."

"Let's move. The exit's dead ahead."

Once we make out way out of the maze, we get behind more cover to scope out more guards. It seemed that we have made it to the back entrance of the mansion. What we see by the back entrance is nothing more than a snazzy million dollar outdoor pool built on the Prescotts' patio. Chloe whistles.

"Dig that," she said. "How's that for a midnight swim, huh?"

"Yeah, yeah. Snazzy. Right now we have a mission to accomplish and more guards to worry about. I'd get to it."

There appeared to be an ever bigger amount of guards than before, however. There were two lookouts on the balcony, two Chrysalis guards by the back door, a group of soldiers talking to one another by the pool; and to make matters even more difficult, a pair of strikers in armored hazmat suits attached to chronon thrusters on their backs strapped with chronon harnesses. The same soldier classes that attacked Max during the Blackwell shooting when time had stuttered.

There was no way the two of were going to take on that many guards if we were going to take the discrete route. I had thought about using my time stutter ability to slip by the guards, but it wouldn't work on the strikers. If I used my power now, they would suspect our being here.

"Well this is just terrific," complained Chloe. "Now how are we supposed to do this? There's too many of them."

"Frank, come in. It's Rachel."

 _"Holy shit. You're still sucking air? What now?"_

"Listen to me, Frank. Remember those guys in hazmat suits you were talking about? You think you can get a visual on them? They're located in the backyard outside the maze."

 _"Give me a sec. Okay I see 'em. What about 'em?"_

"I'm going to be using my powers now, but I can't do that with their chronon devices on. I need you to jam their chronon harnesses now."

 _"You want me to jam their chrono what?"_

"I need you to jam their devices for us. They have equipment on that makes them immune to time changing. Can jam 'em for us?"

 _"Sure, why not Rachel. While I'm at it, why not go fetch some dog food for Pompidou, too."_

"Just do it!"

"Okay, Rachel. Now we're just making a tool out of Frank. If you're trying to freeze time or whatever, wouldn't I be frozen too?"

"Haven't you been paying attention, Chloe? That harness is on for a reason you know. It's to keep you from getting stuck in time. If Frank is able to jam those strikers equipment, we'll be the only ones walking through a time stutter."

"What the hell is a striker anyway?"

"You see those guys in white? They're wearing special equipment designed to make an individual immune to time altering. What your wearing now is going to do the same."

 _"Okay, Rachel. I think I got something here."_

"What do you have?"

 _"I think I'm able to link into they're devices and jam 'em temporarily. Whatever it is that you're going to, I would do fast before they're equipment reboots or something."_

"Right. Just make sure your able to jam the camera feed, too."

 _"Don't got to tell me twice. Ready when you are."_

"Go for it."

 _"Got it. Now do what you have to."_

I shut my eyes and hold my breath and then time has frozen. The guards surrounding the pool are now stuttered. Even the strikers. They only two people resisting the stutter is just me and my ex-girlfriend wearing her harness.

"Wow, Rachel. I don't believe it actually worked. I'm not stuck in time."

"Let's go. My power can't freeze time forever."

It hadn't been Chloe's first time walking through a time stutter. Not since her visit to Seattle with Max. Now that time was frozen, we would have no troubles sneaking past the guards. Some would call it cheating, I'd call it improvising. Once we get around the guarded outdoor pool, we make way for the back entrance and walks right through it. It would only be another minute or two before the strikers' equipment can reboot and before I can exhaust all my chronon particles in blood that would render me powerless. I only had so much energy in my body to consume so many chronons that produce my power.

Once we're inside; we see a room full of balloons, campaign polls, and dinning tables set up for the party guest. We see party servants dressed in smocks and aprons setting up the food, wine, and beverages on tables displayed for refreshments. There's also a special dinning table up front in the room that's probably set up for the Prescotts and the O'Donohues to sit. There were also guards up on the balconies overwatching the room prepped for the festivities. As long as everyone else was frozen in the stutter, we would be fine for just a moment longer.

"Damn, Rachel. The Prescotts are throwing one hella party tonight. Assuming we don't crash it."

"Let's just get upstairs to the security. I'm not gonna be able to hold this stutter for any longer."

We walk up to the upper floor where the guards are posted, but didn't have to take care of them as long as they were stuttered like everyone else. Chloe wondered what would happen when we find the security room.

"So, what are we supposed to do once we get to the security room?"

"We shut down the cameras and take out the guard watching them if we can. Easy."

"Sounds easy enough. It'll be easier with this time stutter that. Exactly how long can you hold this stutter, anyways?"

"Not for long. Let's keep moving while it last."

We walk down a hallway past a stuttered guard and find a door that has a security panel next to it. We walk up to the door to figure out a way inside.

"Finally, there it is. Shit there's pass code we need to type in to get in."

"Well that's just great. A fucking pass code that we sure as hell don't know and one Frank won't be able to hack in because he's probably stuck in time by now."

When I try typing in a code, I notice a translucent hand touch. I'm startled a little bit at first until the hand looks like it's typing in a code. I step back to see what I was supposed to see.

"Chloe, step back for a sec."

"What? What is it?"

I step back to see a translucent figure that appears to be one of the guards typing in a code to the room. I repeat the translucent visual to try an memorize the password it typed until I have it down.

"I think I just found our password."

I type in the password and the door is instantly unlocked. We're able to get inside now.

"Viola," I said. "After you."

I open the door and let Chloe in. She had no idea how I figured it out, but it didn't matter. Once we walk inside, we see guard slouched on his chair sleeping on the job. The cameras are still on. Not for long. All of sudden, my head starts to ache and I know I can't use my power for long.

"Rachel, you okay," asks Chloe. "What wrong?"

"I don't think I can keep this stutter up an longer. I've got to stop right now."

The time stutter stops and I fall on my hip in exhaustion. I take a breath before Chloe helps me up.

"Rachel, you alright? Get up."

"I'm fine, I'm fine. I just needed to resume time."

Then suddenly, our voices startle the guard who had taken a nap and takes notice of his being the room. Without hesitation, I instantly get back on my feet and force his head to hit the desk knocking his ass out and falls off his chair.

"Jesus, Rachel. Were you trying to bust his head open?"

"It was either that or he alerts everyone of our presence. Now we're no longer in the time stutter so we're going to have to do things the hard way this time."

"I've noticed, Rachel. Now how are we gonna turn these cameras off?"

"Leave that to me. Frank, you there?"

 _"Rachel, is that you? I lost your signal for a bit there. What happened?"_

"She obviously froze time, Einstein," Chloe butted in. "That's why you lost the signal."

"Will you let me do the talking please," I ask Chloe. "Frank, we've made it to the security room. We're shutting down the cameras now."

 _"Well, it's about time. I thought you two might be dead before you could make it to the security room. I assume we're about to get this heist all wrapped now if I'm right."_

"That's where your wrong, Frank. I told you before we had to shut off the cameras before we could find anything. Now you won't be able to link into anymore security footage. So you'll have to scan to place by hand got it?"

 _"Whatever makes this heist go quicker, I sure got it."_

"Alright, then. Shutting down security footage...now."

Every camera placed around the household is now offline and we've just now made this heist easier for us.

"Okay, Frank. Looks like we'll be on our own for now. Wish us luck."

 _"Good luck."_

"Score one for Rachel and Chloe."

"Booyah"

We fist bump and grip our hand tightly as we both chuckle. We were only another step closer from pulling this heist off.

"Your hella braver than I thought, Rachel. I don't know what I'd do without you."

"You'd be fucked. Let's get a move on."

We walk out of the security room and down the halls checking every corner for oncoming guards. Along the way, I decide to check a room down the hall for any leads.

"Okay, Rachel. Whatever leads your trying to find here, where could it potentially be? We're getting too exposed in here. We should find our leads fast."

"In here. Let's start here."

Our first room is nothing more but a living room lounge with chairs and a couch. Along with a fire place, portraits, paintings, bookshelves, and a few stuffed animal heads. Maybe the Prescotts were hiding something here.

"Okay, Chloe. We should check as many rooms as we can to see if they're hiding something. I know they're hiding something somewhere."

"Where exactly could they be hiding something in such a swank ass living room?"

"Anywhere. Try checking underneath the furniture or maybe something hidden behind the portraits or bookshelves. Like you see in the movies or something. I bet they would be hiding something in those places."

"This isn't a movie, Rachel. It's real-"

"Yeah, yeah. Real life. I get it. Just take me word for it, for now."

Me and Chloe search everywhere in the room. From bookshelves to portraits to furniture. Can't find anything. I use my time vision to search for something hidden. Still nothing. Then Chloe had I thought in mind she wanted to discuss.

"Rachel, do you mind telling you something I never told you yet?"

"Now's not the best time, Chloe. We got work to do."

"Yeah, well I'm gonna make it the best time. Do you know why I was pissed at you before?"

"If I had to guess, Chloe, it would be one, I left you for a year. Two, I slept with Frank. Three, I almost got you and Max killed during that catastrophic chase scene between the three of us."

"Those aren't the only reasons. Sometimes I think you're just too good to be true. You show up to me months after getting kidnapped into Jeffershit's pornography bunker and with superpowers like Max's. I also find a body that looks just like yours in the junkyard and you tell me that Mr. Jeffershit and his sugar sonny Nathan Prickscott let you go to fake your death and off to live the American dream. Somehow, I'm still having a hard time believing what you told me. That's what my gut is telling."

"There is nothing else that matters more than finding evidence that can claim Max's innocence and all your worried about is believing my story running away from town. Exactly what else are you trying to get out me anyway?"

"Maybe what I'm trying to get out of you is to swear to me that everything you said was true. That's what I want to get out of you. You once told me that there would nothing that would stop you from loving me and you broke that vow the day I found out you had fell in love with Frank. Even though you couldn't keep that promise, I'd like you swear on my life to keep this one."

"Chloe, I know I've hurt you so much. But as of right now, all I want for us is to be friends and just friends only. I've always loved you as a friend and a girlfriend. Either way, we don't lie to each. Since we're just friends for now, I'll never lie to you. I promise."

"Swear to God to me that you hella mean that. Do really promise? Do you?"

I hesitate for a second. The look on Chloe's face makes me fear for her hatred of hurting her too much. She wants me to take her seriously. Very seriously. How could I not. Either I keep this promise or I don't. I'll be damned if I had to break just one bit of it. I really would. Desperate times call desperate measures.

 **X/SQUARE/LM - MAKE THE PROMISE**

 **B/CIRCLE/RM - DON'T MAKE THE PROMISE**

"I promise."

Not a second too soon, we hear voices from outside the hall that sound like they want to enter the room we're in.

"Shit, someone's coming," I said.

"Fuck. Now what do we do," Chloe panicked.

"Let's hide in that closet. Hurry."

We hide inside the closet adjoining the room and shut the doors behinds us before they come in. We peek through the door holes on the closet doors and see people coming inside for a meeting. Who we see is none other than Sean Prescott, Riley O'Donohue, and their alliance of family and Chrysalis supporters. That included Sean's wife Caroline, his daughter Kristine who had been Nathan's older sibling, Crosby, Dr. Sorenson who was the CSO and co-founder of Chrysalis, and even Principal Wells joined the meeting.

Another important person entering the room was the Secretary Kate Brown. State secretary of Oregon who must've been the person Frank had been referring to earlier when had mention someone who look like the secretary of state. The rest of the people who came inside were just a few of the guards protecting the household. We now had to listen in on the meeting from the closet we were hiding in until the meeting had adjourned.

 **Note: Well, I wanted to end this chapter with the meeting going on, but I decided to end it before everyone started talking. For those who don't know, Kate Brown had been the real life secretary of Oregon from 2009-2015. If you think adding such a character sounds a bit forced, I just want say that I wanted to throw in a few political elements in this fiction. I had only thought about having a few scenarios in this fiction where perhaps the state secretary might be good enough to get involved.**

 **If this sounds like good enough writing to anyone, maybe it would be good enough for the state government to acknowledge the Quantum Crisis occurring in Arcadia Bay. That is why I decided to write in Secretary Brown in this fiction. Thought about writing in someone fictional at first, but decided to keep it simple by adding a person from reality in this story. If that's cool for everyone.**

 **I'll try making the next chapter wrap up Rachel and Chloe's heist mission. As usual, stay golden.**

 **P.S. Was going to post this chapter last night until I decided to watch a little bit of the election that Trump had just won. LOL**


	8. The Prescott Connection

Chapter 8 The Prescott Connection

Rachel

April 14th, 2014

6:45 PM

Arcadia Bay, Oregon

Prescott Estate

"You sure this is where you want to have the meeting," asked Crosby entering the room.

"Yes, I'm one-hundred percent sure," replied Prescott. "Just don't sit over there. I like that seat."

"Honey, you really don't need to take that seat every time," suggested Caroline. The wife of Sean Prescott.

"This is my house, Adrian. I take that seat whenever I feel like it."

"Here we go again with the damn chair thing," said Kristine.

"Not a another word from you, Kristine," Sean ordered his daughter. "Sit down and let's get this meeting started."

"I'll be standing up if you don't me asking, Sean," said O'Donohue. "If there's not enough chairs for everyone that is."

"Do what you want, Riley," replied Prescott. "If everyone's got a place for them to be during this meeting, let's get down to business."

As soon as everyone was seated, I hid in the closet with Rachel for as long as we could. We peeked through the door holes watching them where they didn't see us and listened in on every word they were about to say. Sean Prescott sat in his favorite chair. The other Prescotts sat on the couch next to Crosby. Secretary Brown sat on the chair next to the couch and across from where Sean was sitting. O'Donohue, Principle Wells, and Dr. Sorenson stood on their feet in the room by the furniture everyone else sat. Then the meeting came to order.

"Before we get this meeting started, I would like to thank Secretary Brown for joining us tonight in honor of my campaign contribution. It has been an honor having you here Madam Secretary."

"As you were, Senator Prescott," said the State Secretary. "The Prescott Accord once paid their to dues to my personnel affairs. It would be an honor to return the favor."

"Now ladies and gentlemen, let's begin. We're all gathered here tonight because Arcadia Bay is in crisis over Quantum Terrorism. On behalf of my jurisdiction, there are only two criminals responsible for this terrorism. A teenage hippy named Max Caulfield and the former Blackwell all-star named Rachel Amber. We believe, Madam Secretary, that one of those two caused a twister to vacuum the entire town because of their super powers agonizing time and space. Killing over six-hundred civilians in the blink of an eye. I now have Arcadia under martial with the help of Mr. Crosby's forces and even though we do have Ms. Caulfield living in a prison cell for the moment, we still have Ms. Amber on the loose. If anyone has any commit of this endeavor, my ears are wide open."

"Mr. Prescott," Secretary Brown began. "The government appreciates you taking action protecting Arcadia Bay against all odds. The only thing that bothers me is that you not only send in a task force to target a teenager who withholds these so called super powers of hers and shoot her on sight, you have spread mild controversy with the faculty of Blackwell as well as the public of Arcadia."

"I could not give a rat's ass what the faculty or the public thinks. I'm in control of this town's poetic justice and no one tells me how to control it."

"Sean, how could you say things like that to a state secretary," Caroline muttered.

"Do not tell me how to speak to anybody during my meeting, Caroline. I mean it."

"With respect, Sean," Mr. Wells began. "I would listen to both your wife and Secretary Brown. Ever since that fiasco you set up for both Ms. Caulfield and Ms. Amber, students have been outraged over the incident. Not only does the killing attempt of a student make me look bad in front of the entire school, it makes students even more uncomfortable when it becomes an obstacle course of Chrysalis security just to get around campus."

"We had this discussion before, Raymond and we will not have it again. The purpose of this meeting is not about the Blackwell shooting. It is about why it occurred to begin with. It all started six months ago during an ordinary day in Arcadia Bay that turned into a cold day in Arcadia Bay. The day six-hundred more people would walking around town if that day didn't come. The day this great I worked so hard to keep it together had been completely eradicated by the aftereffects of time abuse. The day my son went missing just to find his body bleeding in a dump two days later. As a local senator of Arcadia and Republican candidate for Mayor, it is my duty that I bestow upon myself to take action to protect this town from any criminals willing to commit quantum terrorist attacks."

"Senator Prescott," began Brown. "Besides from Caulfield's and Amber's demeanor of their time manipulated powers and their suspected actions of quantum terrorist attacks, it would be unjust to go in and smoke two teenagers without any initial proof of their potential guilt under your jurisdiction."

"I had all the initial proof I received, Brown. Do not insult my jurisdiction to the contrary."

"It is no one but yourself insulting your own jurisdiction with unconfirmed proof being theoretical inquiries rather than factual. The government cannot tolerate any scrutiny that would falsely put two teenagers in the crosshairs under your regime as they wouldn't tolerate quantum terrorism alone in the state itself. If these young ladies are to be prosecuted for such terrorism, there must be non-theoretical proof of them involved point blank."

"Secretary Brown is right, Sean," said Crosby. "I wanted to protect Max from endangering herself into such a dilemma and I find it to be mistake putting you in charge of Captain Cage's unit which not only makes Wells look bad, but I myself look bad. All the more reason I now have to take Max's defense with her friend Chloe as well as the more reason she pleaded not guilty during her arraignment earlier today."

"Oh, please. Not guilty? Really? You really gonna coddle her ass over consequences she made for no one but herself? And then you want to bring her good for nothing punk-ass friend into your defense? Say if you were to win Caulfield's case, name one thing the two of you would persuade to a judge or jury in her defense."

"For one, like Secretary Brown had said, there's currently no real proof of Caulfield's involvement. Two, there's more to Caulfield's story than just her potential guilt of that storm. Three, Max Caulfield and her friend Chloe Price are more than just friends alike. The two of them share a great affection towards each other. Because of that, Caulfield had taken the advantage of her power to personally. Prompting her to rescue her friend from dying once too many time. According to they're story, the two of them had claimed to themselves that Max had only been ever so defiant in her friend's rendezvous with death that the storm was they're retribution for keeping Chloe alive too often. But it wasn't. My money's more on other quantum terrorist that tried to her look bad."

"And why would your money be more on someone else as opposed to herself only?"

"Let's just say that this Chloe girl of hers made her an offer to prevent the storm. At first, Chloe wanted Max for once to just move on with life and except her profound fate. By letting her die in the past to save the future of this town. Max rejected that decision and chose her personal affair over the greater popularity. I don't even trust myself that killing Ms. Price would've saved the town to begin with. Out of the people that died in vain over that storm, Price is one of them that deserved it less."

"All those hundreds of souls lost to that storm just to save the one individual that's most imperative to Caulfield. As preposterous as that may sound, you can tell Ms. Caulfield to grow up as well as to live and learn. You can also tell that Ms. Price to go fuck herself and crawl back into her Mother's basement where she belongs."

Prescott's insultingly cold words make Chloe sick. They began to remind her too much of Nathan's persona. Was this how Mr. Prickscott raised his own son? Was teaching him bad manners and how to enjoy his own guts the reason Nathan had once threatened my life down the barrel of a gun? Talk about Father like Son. Talk about a reason to raise a Son. Something inside me just wanted me to storm my way out of the closet and break Mr. Prickscott's jaw open. Who was he to insult my affair with Max? Sounded to me he cared about no one but himself. I must wonder what the rest of his family thinks of him when they look at him. At least, Crosby was there to kiss Sean Prickscott's asshole.

"Sean Prescott," his wife muttered. "Don't you dare-"

"Do not interrupt me when I'm speaking to Derrick, Adrian. When it's your turn to talk, I'll let you talk."

"Sean, why don't you stop talking for just damn minute and listen to my voice! I of all people know that for one, Price has a room upstairs in her Mother's house that isn't a basement. For two, I wouldn't dare say exactly what you're making me tell those two. It's so easy for you to talk shit about my clients because you tend to care about no one but yourself at times. I have two emotionally hysterical parents, a rebellious underdog teenager dressed like a punk-rocker, and the last thing I need breathing down my neck is your mutiny that almost got my client killed by the hands of my soldiers."

"Senator Prescott, may I have something to say," asked Dr. Sorenson. Standing behind the couch next to Senator O'Donohue and Principal Wells.

"Well this should be interesting," replied Prescott. "As long as it's something productive to say, you may."

"In my years of development and research at Chrysalis, I have come to my greatest knowledge about quantum chemistry. Whether it'd be related to time manipulation, time travel, or perhaps even terrorism. Our long-term research over the years have speculated in theory mind you that supernatural disasters such as the Arcadia twister storm indeed have the possibility of being caused by time alteration abuse, but is easily debunked. Like Secretary Brown had stated, until there's clear proof of Caulfield's inhabitants of that kind of supernormal cause, it would be unwise to charge her for that matter."

"I'm not sure if you speak English or not, Sebian, but we're not here to debunk things. We are here for solutions."

"Then perhaps I have a solution, Senator Prescott," said O'Donohue. "The solution is right in front of us. How bout we don't accuse some teenager with her ability to control time just yet. So far, everyone in this room is having a difficult time believe this girl can possibly be responsible for six-hundred deaths. If we just send in Chrysalis forces into a school packed with incident high school students to neutralize one of those students suspected for her so-called super powers without any insight for her guilt, then we're just monsters who spread major controversy to both the public and faculty alike."

"He's right, you know, Sean," said Adrian. "This family was sworn to protect and serve the people in debt with the accord. Arcadia Bay would indeed call us monsters for what you let happen. I had married a proud and dignified business man/senator, Sean. Not a monster."

"So far, everyone in this room including my family is saying it's my fault for what happened when it's damn well not! We are at war with quantum terrorism folks. If everyone could just wake up and smell the ashes for once, I'd really appreciate it if somebody could just fall in line to help Arcadia from this crisis."

"If it were up to me, Sean, I would indeed take action of this crisis just as well as you are. If I had taken the more discrete route, it would not only save my campaign, it save this town the controversy it never asked for. But killing an innocent looking teenager from Blackwell, super powers or no super powers, for a crime we don't know if she even attempted?! I would not condone a falsely manhunt as I wouldn't for a terrorist attack. The smartest move to make would be the more discrete route as opposed to the hardline route. Which is precisely what Mr. Prescott is taking."

"I'm not sure what you mean by a discrete route, Riley, but maybe you ought to switch out your definition of innocent looking. If I must go on a manhunt, I will. If I need to take the hardline route, I'm going to. This is all part of making difficult choices for the valuable good. There are times when being discrete is just the easy way out of the maze. And I'll be fucked if I'm gonna choke on the hard decisions that'll hurt people's lives. Until a jury makes a verdict about Caulfield's crime stating otherwise or likewise, we stay on board with this crisis when I say so."

"Dad, I think I have something I must say if you'll let me," said Kristine.

"You've been quiet till now, Kris. I'm listening."

"Mom is right. This family's legacy cannot be squandered on decisions not thought out twice before executing them. If we're going to protect this town, we need to show the people how civic we are enough to keep their respect and stabilize our reputation to the accord. It's bad enough for this family to loose Nathan, but we do not want to fuck ourselves over with the falsely manhunt of Caulfield."

"I was figuring you would bring up Nathan, Kris. He'll have nothing to do with this. From this moment forward, I decide what falsely and how to keep my reputation balanced. If everyone's going to talk to me like a tyrant, I have no reputation whatsoever. Period."

A knock on the door was heard and the guards in the room opened the door for the person coming inside. It had been the Prescotts' butler informing Sean Prescott about the guest.

"Mr. Prescott, the guest have arrived. They're waiting for the doors to be open sir."

"Let them inside. Make sure they have invites and their names are on the guest list before letting them in."

"Yes, sir."

The butler walked out the room and Prescott dismissed everyone to join the festivities.

"This meeting has adjourned ladies and gents. Let's not keep the guest waiting."

When everyone had left the room with the guards and the door closed behind then, the coast was clear. We were now free to step out of the closet and continue our mission.

"Alrighty, now that's over, let's resume our mission," I said.

"Did you hear what that son of a bitch said about me and Max," muttered Chloe. "When I find his ass, I'm going to asphyxiate him hella fucking hard."

"Now is really not the time for grieving, Chloe. Come on, we've got evidence to find."

I walk out of the lounge with Chloe. Making sure no one's passing by. We travel down a few more halls and search more rooms for possible clues. No luck. The only luck we had was our art of invisibility from the guards occupying the household.

"I swear to fucking god, Rachel. If we came all this way all for-"

"Will you be quiet! We still have guards here. We're just not thinking clearly."

"We're just not thinking clearly? We searched every room in this fucking mansion and yet we have not found one lead that could help Max. We're wasting time."

"Just let me think. So far we've searched rooms that are too obvious. If there's at least one more room we haven't checked that just might get somewhere not so obvious, we may have our lead. Frank, you copy? You still there?"

 _"Rachel, that you? What happened? What's taking so long? Thought I lost you?"_

"We had a run in with Prescott and his band of politics. We're good for now. We've looked in every room possible and we haven't had any luck so far. Could you try patching through any blueprints or maps of the mansion to find anything hidden?"

 _"Your asking me this now?"_

"It's not rocket science, Frank. I've already showed you the ropes. So start using them if you don't mind."

 _"Fine. Just give me one moment. For fuck sake, Rachel. There's like so many room to map out, I don't even know where to start."_

"Look in every room possible. If there's at least anything on the blueprints to this household that wouldn't point out the obvious, dig into it and take us there."

 _"Hold on a second. This is strange."_

"What? What's strange?"

 _"I'm looking at this one page of the blueprints in this particular room that appears to be adjoined by another room with no door to go through."_

"What do you mean?"

 _"What I mean is that there's a ceiling that covers another room of some sort the looks like it leads to a basement or something. I bet what your looking for could hidden there."_

"Where do we go to get there?"

 _"It's located in some kind of study room or whatnot east side of the mansion. The sooner you get there, the sooner I get take Pompidou on his night walk."_

"Well good for you, smartass. We'll be there as soon as we can. Rachel out."

"East side of the mansion he said? Which side are we at now?"

"I believe we're exactly on the east side right now. We can't be far. Come on. Let's find this study before the guards discover us."

When we reach the study; we see nothing more but bookshelves, a reading desk, and a piano. Wherever this hidden room Frank mentioned was, the question was how do we get in?

"Okay, Rachel. It's nothing more but another boring old room with boring old books and piano that no one probably ever plays."

"We can do less gripping and more looking, Chloe. If what Frank said was true, we best get looking for something now. Look around for a switch or anything else that could get us in that room."

We search every possible place in the room that could potentially be hiding something. No switches whatsoever. We're so close yet so far from finding our lead. When through the desk in the room a dig through the cabinets, I find something interest could be of some use to us. It was a piece of paper with letters written on it that looked to be some kind of password. The letters written on the paper were: **GABBA CADDA**

"Chloe, come take a look at this."

"What is it?"

"Look what I found. You see these words written on here? It might mean something."

"Gabba Cadda? Whatever that means, it sorta reminds me of 'Yo, Gabba Gabba'."

"I wonder if it could be a password to something. Or better yet, what if it could be piano notes that are written on this paper? If we could play these notes on that piano, it could be our ticket to finding their secret."

"Like you know how to play piano."

"I don't have to. This paper shows you where the notes are so it's not a problem."

We walk up to the piano and I sit by to start playing. I stretch my finger out and start playing the notes on the keyboard. Since I'm not so good at playing the piano, I play the notes very slowly and when every note is played, nothing happens.

"Okay, we tried. What now," asked Chloe.

"Hold on, Chloe. I'm doing something wrong. Maybe I have to play the notes faster or something."

I play the notes a little quicker having them memorized more despite my inexperience with the piano. Still nothing happens. I play the notes one more time just a little bit quicker than last and finally something occurs. The piano notes opens a shelf on the wall that had been hiding a dark passage to a basement like Frank had said. Once the passage was open, we were only one step closer to finding our lead.

"Eureka," I say. "It was here all along."

"That's score two for Chloe and Rachel the problem solver."

We hi-five each other and stare into the dark passage. There were stairs we could take to get down the basement. Only that we needed light to get down, too.

"Well this looks inviting, Rachel. I can't imaging what we'll find down there if so dark."

"Frank, do you copy?"

 _"I read ya. What's up."_

"We just found that secret passage you message. We just might find what we're looking for yet."

 _"Oh, goodie. Just when I thought this heist would be a total failure. Turns out I've underestimated the two of you."_

"Thanks for the compliment, Frank. We appreciate it. Rachel out."

We turn our flashlights on in order to see through the darkness. Upon entering the dark entrance, we walk down the stairs that take to the dark and damp basement that guides to our mystery.

"Why did it have to be so hella dark down here," asked Chloe. "My flashlight on my phone only has so much battery."

"It's kind of obvious they wouldn't just leave the lights on and suck up electricity down here. I'm pretty sure they'll be a power switch or something to turn the lights on."

The dark stair well takes to a dark little room the appears to be an office of some sort. The scan the for a second or two with our flashlight to find an power.

"Well, Rachel, whatever this place is, it sure is getting us somewhere. Just where are the light when you need them."

Not a second too soon, my flashlight detects a switch on the wall. Once I flip it down, the room is fully lit. The brightness in the room almost blinds us, but we can see things clearly now that the pitch blackness is gone.

"Whoa, where are we," asks Chloe.

When the lights flicker on, we see a desk with a computer on top. As well as filing cabinets and hard drives plugged into the computer.

"I think we just found our lead, Chloe. Now we seem to be getting somewhere."

"So where do we even begin in the room?"

"For starters, we check what on that computer and maybe we'll find something."

I on the chair by the desk and tempt to hack into the computers files. The first thing I see is yet another password to enter.

"Well that's just fucking typical," I say. "Why wouldn't there be a password to enter?"

"So this is it, huh? We came all this way just to run into a stupid little password box. Is that it?"

"Hold on, Chloe. Just let me work this out. Frank you there?"

 _"I'm getting a little static, but I hear ya."_

"We've managed to find a computer down the basement here that might have what we're looking for, but there's password that has to be entered. Is there way you can encrypt it?"

 _"First you want me to hack into the surveillance and now you want me to encrypt a password? Just give me a moment."_

"Why not just type in a password until we can find the right one," asked Chloe.

"Unless you know any passwords that could potential unlock this bastard, that won't help, Chloe. This security code looks pretty tight and we don't want this computer to just lock us out for a bunch of failed password attempts."

 _"Okay, Rachel, I think I got something here."_

"What is it?"

 _"I was able to encrypt a password, but I could crack open was just four out of the seven letters."_

"What have you got?"

 _"E - space - Y - space - I - space - M. That's all I have."_

"Hmm. E - Y - I - M. I think I've got it."

I type in the password and fill in the blanks from what Frank gave me. The password I type in is: **ELYSIUM**. Access granted.

"Got it. I got the right password, Frank. Rachel out."

"Elysium? What them come up with that password?"

Once I'm clear of the password, I spot some unusual files I never figured the Prescotts would have. They not only had files on their family history with time travel, they also had something even more authentic they what I expected.

"Would you look at this, Chloe. I'm not only seeing files on the family history, I'm seeing files on Chrysalis projects, private projects...and the dark room project?"

"The dark room project?"

I click on the dark room project out curiosity which I knew would kill the cat. Considering the horrific memories I carry of that place from a year earlier. Nonetheless, the question was, what did the Prescotts have to do with the dark room project?

"Holy shit, Chloe. Look at this. Some kind of dossier of test subjects. Dark room test subjects."

"A dossier of dark room test subjects? You mean..."

"Look at this, Chloe. This must be everyone Jefferson kidnapped to his dark room. The dates on these files are like four, three, two years, even a year old. Every status of these subjects are verified as either deceased or classified."

"Why would Mr. Jeffershit refer to them as subjects? And why would Mr. Prickscott have any interest in kidnapping girls into a porn bunker? Hey, look. Your on this dossier. They also have Kate, Victoria...and Max."

When I scroll down to my file on the dossier, my status and Kate's status reads classified. Victoria and Max's status reads active. It was unlikely both Max and Victoria were even brought to the dark to begin with because Max had prevented all of that when she jumped back in time to save Chloe from getting killed by Jefferson.

"Why do they have files on Max and Victoria," asked Chloe. "They shouldn't have been in the dark room considering the trouble Max had to make up for herself preventing all of that."

"They probably weren't. They're statuses read active. Meaning that they're subjection to the project was only preordained before Jeffershit was busted. They probably ditch the project after that happened."

"Well that still doesn't answer to question to why Prickscott would even plot this to begin with."

"Well we don't have time to sit down and figure out why. If we're to establish a lead on Max, I'm gonna have to download all this data on this computer from my harddrive I brought with us."

"You want to download all this data from a drive? What drive?"

"This drive."

I take out my hard drive I from our supply bag and hook it to all the other drives connected to the computer.

"Frank you there? It's Rachel."

 _"What is it this time, Rach?"_

"We're gonna be extracting the files from this computer we found with a hard drive I brought with us. Consider our mission accomplished."

 _"Well encore Rachel and Chloe. I never thought you two would pull something like this off once in a lifetime. Does this mean Pompidou can walk now?"_

"Don't go bailing on us just yet, Frank," said Chloe. "We still got to get the fuck out of here and leave with this data."

 _"So then your mission is not accomplished then?"_

"It's partially accomplished, Frank," I reply. "Just give us some time to download this data before we bail out. This mission will be over in no time. Rachel out."

My drive is hooked up and ready to download. The downloading process takes a moment longer, however. The download bar reaches ten percent within one minute. Hopefully, it wasn't going to take until dawn for the bar to reach one-hundred.

"How long is this going to take, Rachel? We should have all this data by now? We can't stay here for long. The guards will find us in any minute by now."

"Will you just sit tight and relax, Chloe? The bandwidth of this data is pretty large download."

"No, I can't sit down and relax because we're officially criminals now for stealing data from a rich man's home. Exactly how much data are we downloading any? And what files do we need to extract that has so much bandwidth?"

"I'm downloading every data relating to everything connected to the Prescotts. Whether I'd be their history or special projects including the dark room project. That's why we have to give it a minute.

Ten minutes later, the bar is at seventy-five percent. To think the guards would be here by now, they aren't. But they will.

"What's taking so long, Rachel?! We don't have all night!"

Suddenly, we hear voice upstairs. The guards have discovered our presence. I smell trouble. The guards eventually make their way down, but we're nowhere in sight.

"Secure the perimeter," said a Chrysalis guard. "No one gets in or out."

"There doesn't seem to be anyone here, sir," said guard in a suit.

"Hey, look over here."

The guards make their way around the computer and find out what we've been up to.

"Someone's downloading these files off this desktop."

"Call it in. Make sure no one-"

Before the guard could finish his sentence, I throw a crowbar at his face and he drops to the ground. We tranquilize they other two guards unconscious and we're free from any trouble for the moment being. We had been hidden somewhere the guards wouldn't see us prepared to deal with the trouble.

"We got to get the fuck out now, Rachel. If they know we're here, we don't have much time."

Luckily, the download bar bought us some time to escape. Because it was now at one-hundred percent.

"Oh, good the download is complete. Let's get out of here."

I take the hard drive with us that now has files that could help us clear out Max's name. The I come up with a plan to escape.

"Chloe, in here."

I open up a ventilation door. Knowing it could be out shortcut out of here.

"Through the air ducts? Are you kidding me?"

"Don't argue with me, Chloe. We can't just walks back upstairs. They'll be expecting us. Let's go."

 **Note: Well I did say that this chapter might rap up the heist mission. Got wait till next chapter instead. Sorry. :(**

 **I just want everyone to know that I've been real busy with school this past week and haven't been able to write as much as I could. These next couple of weeks might be slow, so expect future chapters to be posted within a slower amount of time. I don't want to make this inconvenient for everybody, but school always comes first. Like they always say.**

 **I also had a few video game breaks along the road too. Just saying. ;) LOL If you're also wondering about what Rachel and Chloe just found and what it has to do with anything, you'll understand in a matter of time.**

 **Until next time, stay golden.**


	9. Blackout

Chapter 9 Blackout

Rachel

April 14th, 2014

7:25 PM

Arcadia Bay, Oregon

Prescott Estate

Once we're in the air ducts, we close the vent door behind us and proceed through the ventilation shaft. While crawling through the dark vents, we have our flashlights on to our path. Until our flashlights go out.

"Well how fucking convenient," gripped Chloe. "You make me crawl through a dark shaft and now my battery drains. How are supposed to see shit now?"

I remember bringing my lighter before coming here. I reach for my lighter in my pocket and flicker a small burning flame to light the way.

"What was that you called me," I ask. "Rachel the problem solver? Am I right?"

"Just move your ass, Rachel. I don't want to be look at your ass either."

"Frank, come in."

 _"What's up, Rachel? What took you so long?"_

"Never mind that, Frank. Listen, we got the data but we may have some guards aware of our presence. I need you to even up the odds for us."

 _"Oh, great. I knew this was going to backfire, eventually. What do you need me to do?"_

"I need you to hack into household's electricity. That way you can create a blackout in this place. We'll be able to stick to the shadows and avoid the guards better."

 _"I'll see what I can do from here. Frank out."_

While me and Chloe crawled our way through the ducts, the guest had entered the household and occupied the festivities. Everyone had gathered around the central room of the mansion where tables, balloons, and poll signs were set up for the party having drinks and socializing with one another. Meanwhile, the Prescotts and the O'Donohues sat down at the VIP table set by the front side of the room.

"May I have everyone's attention please!" Mr. Prescott shouted.

The crowd of guest remained silent to here what Prescott had to say.

"It's a special night tonight for this campaign contribution. Although, Arcadia Bay remains under martial law due to it's entering of the quantum crisis, it is in my duty to protect this town from the terrors of this crisis. Times like these call for extreme measures, ladies and gentlemen. I hereby promise to bring this crisis to justice and protect Arcadia from it's continuation. So that one day this great town of Arcadia will be liberated form this crisis and become once again the greatest place to live as it was always meant to be. On behalf on this contribution, I would like to propose in everyone's honor of being here. From here on out, the Prescotts and O'Donohues send their regards."

"A toast for everyone's honor," said O'Donohue.

The guest repeated after O'Donohue and held their glass up to toast. Before the festivities could resume, the lighting in the area suddenly shut down making to whole household go pitch black. The guess instantly panicked wondering why the mansion had now gone dark. Prescott reached for his ear piece to contact security.

"What the hell just happened?!" He shouted.

 _"There's been a blackout, sir. There may have been a fuse blown or something."_

"Get that backup power on now! The guest are startled!"

 _"Mr. Prescott, we a situation."_

"What situation?"

 _"We just found three guards unconscious. Two of them have been tranquilized. Someone had just broken into the server room and it's likely the intruders cut the power."_

"Fuck! Find those intruders and get that backup power on!"

While the power is out, me and Chloe continue our way through the ducts set on the ceiling of the party room. We could see the guest frightened over the power outage when we peek through the air holes.

"Damn, Rachel. It's hella darker down there than it is up here. I just hope you know what you're doing. The guest sound like they could barely see a soul."

"Don't worry, Chloe. This is good. If guest down there can't see anything, neither would the guards. Unless we're able to stay away from flashlights that is. Let's get going. We're almost out of this shaft."

We exit the air ducts through another vent door on ceiling down the hallways. The two of us hoped out of the vents from the ceiling and landed on the floor safely on our feet. The halls were darkened, but I had time vision to see through walls as well as the dark. We take cover behind a wall or two checking our corners. No sign of any guards yet.

"Frank, you there," I whisper on my com.

 _"What is it, Rachel? Why are we whispering?"_

"I need you to abort the mission, Frank. Right now."

 _"You want me to what?"_

"I need you to move away from our position right now, Frank. We don't them to intercept our comms or find out who's hacking into their equipment. You've got to get out of there right now."

 _"Are you insane? I can't just leave you there. I'm not loosing you again!"_

"I gave you an order, Frank! Don't worry about me or Chloe. We can handle ourselves. Rachel out."

Eventually, the guards were closing in on our position. We could see flashlights beaming through the halls. We now had to prepare ourselves.

"Now what do we do?" asked Chloe.

"Here, take this."

I give Chloe one of our handguns from our bag of equipment.

"Oh, a gun that can shoot bullets? Really?"

"Listen, Chloe. I feeling thing are gonna get tense in a few minutes. So just to be on the safe side, we can use our hand guns if we actually really need them. For now, let's take these guards our quietly. You know what to do. On me."

While guards had patrolled the halls, we silently knock them on their asses or tranquilize them. We were almost out of tranquilizer darts, but we did take out a few by hand when we had to. One of the guards I take out by snaring him from a corner and wrap my arm around his neck tightly until he passes out. Chloe on the other hand takes out a guard out by tapping him on the shoulder and punching him across the face twice as hard knocking him to the floor.

We play ninja for as long as we could until we reach the party area where some the guards were calming the guest down from the blackout. We could see everyone from the balcony on the upper floor. We may have been able to stealth our way past guards, but we still needed a plan to get out.

"I'm getting tired of this stealth bullshit, Rachel. We need a way out of here. And getting past this crowd is only going to make things worse."

"Maybe your right. You know, screw it. I think it's about time we fight our way through this."

"Wait, you mean - Oh, no. No way. You want use to go shooting our way out of this one?"

"I brought these guns for a reason, Chloe. It's time we start using them."

"So what? Are we just gonna start shooting people-"

Before Chloe could finish her sentence, I fire my gun at the ceiling. Triggering the crowd to erupt into a mass panic of screams and hollers. The guards took notice of the gunshots I fired giving away our position while the crowd ran for their lives and out the nearest exit. We got behind cover immediately as soon as the guards started fire their guns from downstairs. Me and Chloe had our pistols in our hands ready to take aim at anyone shooting at us.

"What the hell were you thinking, Rachel?! Are you insane?! Your gonna get us-"

I shoot a guard aiming for both of us from our position before Chloe could finish yelling and he slips to the ground with lead fused into him. Laying dead on the ground.

"Less talking, more shooting!" I shout.

The guards have us outgunned, but we still manage to shoot a couple from the balcony to clear the lower ground. Although, the guards make us more vulnerable with SMG's and rifles in their hands and hand guns in ours, we do manage to get the upper hand thanks to my time stopping and shielding. Making our way downstairs, the two of us go guns blazing taking cover behind the tables cover with white sheets and decorated with flowers and silverware.

We didn't have all the ammo in the world to fight every last one of theses guards. So we had to loot a weapon or two and use them against our enemy's own will. I steal an MP5 from a Chrysalis guard for better recoil and help Chloe fight by her side. Once we take out the rest of the guards, we're in for a more hardcore challenge when we have to fight our way through reinforcements. Which are none other than a bunch of slippery strikers zig-zagging left and right advancing on our position and our every move. If it were hard for Max to fight off the bastards, it would be hard for the two of us, as well.

"Jesus Christ, Rachel! You didn't tell me these assholes are fast as lightning! I can't get a shot at them and I'm almost out of ammo!"

"Let me deal with them!"

Chloe was a sitting duck trying to fight off strikers equipped with chronon powered thruster packs and armed with SMG's with only a lousy pistol in her hands. It was time for me to improvise. Rewinding time or freezing them in time bubbles would work on these soldiers with advanced suiting. I had to be practical the way Max been to fight off the strikers that attacked her on the Blackwell courtyard.

I time dash over to one striker and perform an air kick on him that pushes him ten feet across the room. Making him hit a support beam and damage his thruster pack. I finish him with a few bullets to pump into him with my gun. The next striker I take out by dashing my way towards him and give him really good hit the face with my fist in mid-air. Then I shoot him in the back a couple times destroying his thruster pack and killing him.

The last striker I have to take out hits Chloe in the head from behind pinning her down on her hip. The striker aims his gun at Chloe while she crawls on the floor for mercy. Before he could shoot her, I use my time rush to hurry my over. I then kick the striker across the kneecap as he slips to the floor. Then my last move on him is to disable his thruster pack by pulling out the power source and knock him on the head with my foot. And then, I help Chloe get back on her feet.

"Damn, Rachel. Got to admit, you got hella moves on you. That's for sure."

"Come on. The way we came out is this way. Let's get out of here."

Chloe take a gun from one of the strikers before we make our way out. As soon as we make our way out to the backyard where the pool and hedge maze are built, matters only get worse. Not only do we see a few Chrysalis troops posted by the pool patio, but there comes double trouble waiting for us, as well. A heavily armored soldier in a mechanical chronon powered exo-suit carrying a mini-gun overshadowed the other two guards. Just when the soldier in the exo-suit started firing up his LMG, the both of us race for cover.

"Get down!" I shout.

I throw myself over to Chloe and we dodge the oncoming bullets just in time before they waste us. The bullets come raining down on us rapidly and the heavy bullets start breaking concrete on the patio.

"What the fuck is that, Rachel?! What's a guy with a fucking mini-gun doing here?!"

The volume of the LMG bullets is so high, we have to shout out what we're saying.

"I don't know! Looks like some guy in a military grade chronon powered exo-suit! Chrysalis uses them for scenarios like this!"

"Did you just say exo-suit?! I thought you only see those in sy-fy! And who the fuck would bring a guy with a mini-gun to a party!"

"Now's really not the time to discuss that! I've got an idea!"

"What idea?!"

"I can use my time shield to protect us from the bullets just to give us support! Then we'll unload on those assholes without getting shot!"

"You have a time shield, too?! What do we do after that?!"

"Just stay close to me! I know what I'm doing! Ready?!"

"I'm ready as long as you know what you're doing!"

"Go!"

We run out of cover and I activate my time shield as we give our enemies suppressing fire. Chloe fires her gun taking out a few of the guards as I do the same and hold my shield up for as long as I can at the same time. The enemy's fire is deflected by my shield keeping us safe inside. Our bullets hit the juggernaut in the exo-suit a couple only to give it minimal damage. When the regular guards are taken out, it was time for me to make my last move. I couldn't keep my shield up for long. So that's when I charged up my time blast as soon as my shield was about to go down. Once it was fully charged, I thrust my hand towards the juggernaut pushing him backward and disarming him from his heavy weapon.

When the juggernaut goes down, it gets back up again. But when it get back on it's feet, we shoot more bullets into it to damage the soldier's exo suit. Eventually, we shoot enough lead into it to power it down. Leaving the juggernaut incapacitated. The armored soldier drops to his knees and I finish with a bullet between the eyes. Justice served.

"Let's get the fuck out of here before we have to deal with more of these brutes," I say.

"Works for me."

We hurry our way back into the hedge maze where we came through as we here more guards pursuing us. We also manage to find the manhole we came through, as well. We enter the sewer system once again and make way for the way we came in to get out.

"Okay, Rachel. You think remember how to get out these hella dirty sewers?"

"If I can remember the way in, I can remember the way to get out. Let's hurry. Those assholes could still be after us."

While quickly making our way out of the sewers, we overheard more soldiers who had entered the pipeline. Still hunting us down.

"Don't these guys ever know when to give up?" asked Chloe.

"These guys aren't the giver upper type, you know. Let's move. We should almost out of these sewers."

"It's them! Shoot them down!"

A soldier yelled from behind us and started firing on us. Luckily, I took him out before he took us out.

"Shit, the found us!" muttered Chloe.

"Come on! We're almost out of here! Let's go!"

The soldiers chase us down through the sewers and we fight for our lives to get out of here alive. We both shoot and run around every corner of the pipeline as hard as we can. The longer we were fugitives of Chrysalis, the more we were going to get ourselves killed on this journey attempting to save Max from her injustice. The last thing we before coming out of the sewers is the hole came through to get here. The light at the end of the tunnel.

"Rachel, there's our way out! Let's get out of here!"

As were getting a bit closer to freedom, the soldiers still came after us. Then I found a way to cut them off. There was a gasoline canister sitting by the exit hole. I could use that canister to cut hole in it so it'll leak gas and light it up into flame. I take out my knife and start a cutting a hole into it."

"What are you doing, Rachel?! Let's get the fuck out!"

"Not until we rain hell on these bastards first!"

"What?!"

The hole I just cut leaks gasoline. All needed to do now was just light candles. Before the troops could approach us, I tip over the canister and kick it over to them as it rolled down towards them leaking more gasoline. I fire a round or two at the canister creating an explosion that lights up the pipeline like the forth of July. Killing and burning a few of troops alive. The explosion had set a chain reaction that made the soldiers fall back out of the sewers. The canister I had shot down turned out to be enough to almost send Arcadia Bay into orbit. The inferno was also approaching toward us and it was now our to turn run away from the fire.

"Move!" I shout.

We barely manage to run out of there and jump out of the sewer hole in time before the explosion could scorch the both of us. We're now officially out of the sewers if not the blazing hell I created to barbeque every last one of the soldiers in pursuit of our intrusion. The two of us land on our front hips when we jumped away from the explosion. We could see the fire burning from the sewer hole.

"Jeez Luis, Rachel. You nearly barbequed the both us."

"At least they won't be able to get through that. That's for sure."

We catch our last breaths before getting back on our feet. Our mission is now complete. Assuming the data we stole from Prescott can help us free Max.

"You still got that data," asked Chloe.

"Safe and sound."

"Hey, where did Frank go?"

"Must've left when I told him to."

"Well we should at least let him know we made it out alive."

"Frank you there? Come in."

 _"Holy shit, Rachel. Is that you? Did you find your way out of the woods yet?"_

"We're still in one piece, Frankie. We managed to get out of there alive. Barely. Mission completion."

 _"Thank god. I really didn't need to lose you again, you know. I really didn't."_

"I know you didn't, Frank. We're headed back to my lodge. We'll have that talk in the morning. You can go take Pompidou for his night walk now. Rachel out."

"I don't know about you, Rachel, but I am worn out from this heist. Just what would I do without you?"

"Come on, Chloe. Let's get back to the bike before Chrysalis can locate us."

Once we hop back onto my bike, we ride away from Arcadia Shores and drive back home into the night. The mission may be over, but our work to help Max has just begun.

 **Note: I really considered posting this chapter yesterday, but since it was Thanksgiving, I spent a little more time with my family than wrapping this chapter up. From now on, I'm gonna try and post at least two chapters every week. Just to pick up the pace with this episode. That's the goal I'm rooting for. I'm just glad the heist is over. LOL**

 **Anyway, I want to wish everyone a Happy Thanksgiving or at least a Happy Black Friday for what it's worth.**

 **Until next time, stay golden!**


	10. Approval

Chapter 10 Approval

Chloe

April 15th, 2014

7:00 AM

10 Miles From Arcadia Bay

Kettle Lake Lodge

I had slept with Rachel in her bedroom over night at the lodge. I wake up next to her stretching my arms out and yawn. Rachel is still unconscious lying down on her bed next to me with her eyes closed. I had forgotten how much of a pretty sleeper she used to be. She's beautiful lying down with her eyes shut. I give her a smile and rub her shoulder before getting off the bed to take a shower. When I'm done showing, I put some clothes on and walk into the kitchen to see Rachel cooking breakfast.

"Perfect timing, Chloe. Made you a little cheese omelet while you were in the shower."

"Well how nice of you, Rachel. I didn't know you cook. Smells delicious."

Rachel put my omelet on the table so I could eat. She too made herself an omelet as well. We sat down in the living on the couch and at our breakfast. We had given ourselves a rough night back at the Prescott Estate just to find evidence of Max's innocence. It was a good time as any for me to start a conversation about how we were going to finish the job.

"So, now that we have what we need to help Max, was it worth getting ourselves killed for?" I ask.

"I had the files uploaded to my computer overnight," replied Rachel. "I still need to look over them to see if there's a good lead we have on Max's case."

"You know by now, Chrysalis has probably figured that it was us that started reeking havoc on Mr. Prickscott's doorstep. I'm only more worried it they'll find out if I was involved, too."

"I think it would be pretty obvious to them that it was me who started it. Not sure if they'll figure out you were with me, though. Assuming those cameras were still down and it didn't catch any footage of us both causing trouble."

"You don't think they'll find out Frank was helping us, right?"

"Nah, Frank told me he had left the second I told him to. If he would've stayed their any longer, they've would traced our comms and find who was sabotaging their equipment. Frank may be a low-life living in a van, but he's no naive jackass either."

"That's no surprise. Wonder what's on TV."

I turn on Rachel's television set in the living room to find out that the incident we started at the Prescott Estate last night is on the news. The headline reads: **Shooting at Prescott Estate.** The camera had recorded footage of last night after our escape from the estate. There had been people scattered around the front of the mansion with ambulances and Chrysalis vehicles parked by the roundabout up front. There were also paramedics treated wounded and unconscious as well as soldiers securing the household and carrying body bags.

 _"Another shooting occurred last night in Arcadia Bay during the campaign contribution party held at the Prescott Estate. Leaving fifteen killed and eight unconscious or injured. Witnesses confirm a blackout had been the first phase of the incident before gunfire erupted."_

 _"We were all enjoying ourselves drinking and socializing until the blackout happened and the next thing we knew were gun shots being fired and we all ran out of the place as quickly as we could,"_ said a woman who attended the party on camera.

 _"We checked every perimeter around the household and whoever started the shooting not only broke into the server room and stole something from their, but was able to take out our striker unit in the ball room,"_ said a soldier on camera. _"The recon team is finding it likely to be Rachel Amber as our suspected perpetrator."_

 _"The likelihood of fugitive Rachel Amber as the perpetrator of the shooting leaves Senator Prescott outraged of this speculation given by authorities."_

 _"It was to be a special night for my family during this party funding for my campaign,"_ shouted Prescott on camera. _"If this Rachel bitch thought she had the balls to break into my home and crash this party starting a massacre, she will so regret ever ravaging my reputation!"_

 _"No other commit was added in regard of the incident. Meanwhile, civil disobedience upraises in Arcadia Bay with protesters striking against Chrysalis Control. Protesting has been sited from urban to residential areas in Arcadia due to the Prescott's involvement with Chrysalis activity."_

The camera showed people publicly protesting against Chrysalis. Waving signs around and fist pumping. A man was shown on screen ranting and raving about Prescott's alliance with Chrysalis.

 _"No one wants Chrysalis running this town! The Prescotts have no right!"_

 _"Protest have also been sighted near Blackwell Academy as students begin a school protest near campus. Striking against not only Chrysalis control, but as well as the apprehension of Max Caulfield and the manhunt for Rachel Amber as a result of the Blackwell shooting."_

Victoria was seen on camera with a mega-phone in her hand rallying Blackwell students near campus. The students were too waving signs in the air. Most of them appeared to have images of Max and Rachel with the words "Not A Terrorist" written on them.

 _"We don't want our school shot up by Chrysalis because Max and Rachel are terrorist!"_ shouted Victoria on her megaphone on camera. _"They are not terrorist! They are our everyday heroes at Blackwell!"_

If it had been up to me, I could easily be the one rallying that protest at this minute. Victoria did have a rivalry with both Max and Rachel, but if she were sympathetic enough to feel bad for picking on Kate, she'd do the same for both my girlfriend and ex-girlfriend.

 _"We now go over to Captain Clayton Cage of the Chrysalis Security Task Force with a comment regarding the protest in Arcadia Bay."_

The news switched over to May Valhalla. The news journalist for Arcadia News. She had stood next to Cage on camera with her microphone in hand.

 _"Captain Cage, do you have any comment in relations to these protest in Arcadia Bay or the school protest at Blackwell as such?"_

 _"Ma'am, in my day, I've experienced protest that would turn into riots. The ones where people loot and desecrate places. School protest is another thing I need experience with. Let's just say if these protest worsen, there will be consequence to pay for."_

 _"Any comment in regards of last night's shootout at the Prescott Estate? Or perhaps the possibility of Rachel Amber being involved?"_

 _"I've got better things to do, Ma'am. Someone get me a sit-rep on those protest."_

 _"No further comment had been added regarding the Arcadia protest. In other news; quantum criminal Max Caulfield, charged with multiple acts of man slaughter related to both the devastation of Arcadia six months ago and the recent Blackwell shooting has pleaded not guilty to all charges. Her trial will begin tomorrow morning at nine AM at the Arcadia Bay Courthouse. We will have more on this story as it progresses. I'm Brock Kent. Arcadia News."_

"It just keeps getting better, Rachel. A shooting at the Prickscott Estate, protest at Blackwell, and now Super Max pleading not guilty. At least there's no evidence I was involved of that racket we started last night."

"Those protest are gonna even put more pressure on politics and Chrysalis. As far as the media is concerned, they'll only be after Rachel Amber. Not Chloe Price."

"So what are we supposed to do with that evidence we found back at the estate while politics and Chrysalis get tampered around with civil disobedience?"

"I'll have to look over those files to find all the evidence we need. Then all we have to do is connect the dots and display it all up on my evidence board. And then we'll be getting closer to busting Max out her dungeon. That's all I can say for now."

A text message from my Mom bleeped on my phone.

 **Mom: Chloe, where have you been all night? David and I have been worried sick.**

 **Chloe: I spent the night over at Rachel's lodge. I slept over with her too.**

 **Mom: That Crosby man is back at the house. He's going to be speaking with David soon too. You should probably come by before he gets here.**

 **Chloe: I will mom. thx**

 **Mom: You wouldn't happened to have done any trouble with Rachel now would you? I heard the news about that shooting over at the Prescotts.**

 **Chloe: Don't be ridiculous mom. When have I ever shot up a place with anyone? I'll be over there asap.**

 **Mom: Considering the trouble you got urself in with Max and your being with Rachel, that's why I'm worried. Get here safe.**

 **Chloe: no problem**

"I've gotta bail, Rachel. My Mom's calling me back over to my place."

"Whatever you say, Chloe. I'll be here gathering all the evidence if you need me."

"Don't gotta tell me twice. I'll see ya later."

I drive safely back to my house and park my truck in the driveway. I had seen David's police car he drove to get here parked on the curb. I walk through the front door and I see David and Crosby firmly arguing with each other.

"Ah, Chloe Price. Exemplary, timing," said Crosby as I shut the door behind me. "Your step-daughter's here, Officer Madsen. She's waiting for your approval."

"I can speak for myself, Mr. Crosby," replied David. "Chloe, come here. Right now."

David wasn't smiling. In fact, he sounded pissed the second I walked into the house. Nearly sounding like he was about to go into Step-Douche mode again. When he had promised he wouldn't.

"Once a Step-Ass, always a Step-Ass," I say. "Am I right, David?"

"Chloe, get over here now!"

"David, we agreed we'd go easy on her," reminded Joyce to her husband.

"I know what I'm doing, Joyce. Now let me speak to her."

I walk over to where David and Crosby stand to confront them both with my Mother interfering with the conversation as well.

"First of all, I'm not sure what gives you the nerve to go hanging around with a wanted fugitive who's now Rachel after that publicity fiasco you got yourself into with Max. Second, what makes you think you can take on a federal court case and help Mr. Crosby defend Max's so-called quantum terrorism or whatever it is?"

"Maybe you haven't guessed, David, but who am I as Max's love life to back her down from anything, huh? Just so you know, I've known about this thing Max has longer than you have."

"What do you mean longer than I have?"

"Huh, he hasn't told you has he? Mr. Crosby, care to back me up?"

"It's true David," implied Crosby. "This power Max contains has been a secret between the two of them for a long time now. It's best I start telling you this now."

"Secret? What secret? You know what, I don't want to hear it."

"Hold on, David. What are saying?" asked Joyce. "What do you mean secret between the two of them?"

Crosby cleared his throat.

"I just want you to know that it's complicated story, but here it goes. Your Daughter and Max both tell me that they're had been a time before they reunited that Max had saved Chloe from the brink of death with the aid of Max's power. When Max first discovered she was able to rewind time, Chloe had been shot in the bathroom by Sean Prescott's late son Nathan Prescott. When that all happened, Max knew it was her job to make sure it didn't."

"Hold on. Just hold on," interrupted David. "Max rewinding time? My Step-Daughter getting shot by that little shit Nathan? What in the hell are you talking about?"

"To sum it all up, Mr. Madsen, the week Max and Chloe were together again became a week of judgment for them. During that week, your Step-Daughter had inadvertently got herself killed once too many, Max kept saving her with her powers once too many times. In the end, when that tornado storm struck Arcadia Bay, Max had proclaimed herself responsible for that storm due to the nature of her power. She was given the choice to sacrifice Chloe for the greater benefit of Arcadia or sacrifice the people of Arcadia for her own interest. And she chose to sacrifice the people plain and simple."

"I don't understand," said Joyce.

"Neither do I," scolded David. "What do you mean sacrifice Chloe for the greater benefit of this town? And how does an innocent looking girlfriend of Chloe's who secretly had these magical powers of hers possibly be held accountable for a tornado storm?"

"As much as can be insulting to say, Chloe thought she could give her life for everyone else by having Max use her power to go back to the day she was shot and let her die by the hands of a dirty politician's son. You and Joyce should grateful Max had the guts to do the opposite. And that she was able to protect her all that time when you weren't."

"Your telling us that my Step-Daughter's life was the key to saving the lives that were lost to that storm by jumping back into time to her date of death that never came?"

"As far as Max and Chloe are concerned, yes. There is nothing left for me to explain."

"Well there goes your answer, David," I said. "You wouldn't even believe how hard it was for me and Max us to go through all that. It's what happens when you try to solve Rachel's disappearance and take down Mr. Jeffershit and his wannabe lapdog Nathan Prickscott."

"Just so I'm clear, Mr. Crosby," began David. "Chloe needs to be around with normal people. It's bad enough for her to get dragged down by the influence of drug addiction and hooliganism and I'll be double dog damned if she has to be dragged down by terrorist that will only make her life even worse. I don't care if it's either Max or Rachel or anyone else. I won't let her take any chances with you."

"Oh please, David," I said. "I'm not joining ISIS. I'm holding Max's hand with her case."

"I wasn't talking to you, Chloe. Let me finish."

"Your Step-Daughter is right, David," implied Crosby. "Max Caulfield may not be a one-hundred percent normal person for Chloe to be around, but she is still her most imperative person to live with in their hearts. I would suggest reconsidering."

David sighed. Putting his hand on in front of his eyes and shrugged.

"Fine. She can help you. But as long as she does so, she's your responsibility. If anything goes on with her that I don't like, it's on you."

"You won't regret it, Mr. Madsen. Chloe will make a fine asset to her girlfriend's defense."

"David, why are there reporters outside in front of our house," Joyce called out looking through the kitchen window. "We expecting the press to walk on our doorstep or something?"

"The press? What the hell they doing outside?" questioned David.

"Shit, my apologies, Mrs. Madsen," said Crosby. "They must've followed me on the way here. Thank you for your time. I'll handle the press outside. You all have wonderful morning."

"As you were, Mr. Crosby," said Joyce. "As you were."

Another text bleep on my phone. It was from Warren.

 **Warren: Yo Chloe. Come by two whales when u have the time. I might have something u could be interested in.**

 **Chloe: I'll be there soon. thx.**

I walked back outside to my truck while Crosby occupied the press who harassed us on our doorstep. I had wondered if they just wanted a commit from Crosby or perhaps maybe a commit from me or something. Whatever the catch, I drove my truck off the driveway away from the reporters and drove my way over to my Mom's diner. Whatever Warren wanted me to see, I hoped it would be worth my time.

 **Note: Hope I didn't take too long this time. I'll try my hardest to get another chapter done this week. I will be busy these last couple of weeks of school before Christmas break, but perhaps more chapters will come sooner over break. Better yet, I may just rap up this episode over break too.**

 **As usual, stay golden!**


	11. Welcome to Chrysalis

Chapter 11 Welcome to Chrysalis

Max

April 15th, 2014

9:15 AM

25 Miles From Arcadia Bay

Quantum Prospekt

I'm locked in my cell sitting on my bed watching the news on the television set displayed on the corner ceiling of my cell. The news speaks more about last night's incident at the Prescott Estate and the protest in Arcadia Bay. I had no doubt Rachel and Chloe started the incident considering what Chloe told me what they were going to do to get me out of this mess. Never imagined Victoria would have the woman power to start an uprising on Blackwell grounds against Chrysalis. Talk about the chain of events I've set in motion up until now. Ironic how the death of a punk girl could've easily prevented all this catastrophe. Let alone a tornado storm build up to more catastrophe. With great power, comes great consequences.

Two prison guards walked into my cell and stood guard by the door. Then Crosby walked in my cell with the guards as his escort. I was relieved to see the sight of Crosby's presence in my cell just for being my wannabe Daddy figure. I assumed he had been here for my prisoner transfer. Crosby walked over to where I sat and spoke to me.

"I take it I've been pardoned?" I ask.

"Yes you have and no you haven't," he answered. "But we both know what today is, Max. Today we transfer you over to Chrysalis headquarters. Where we examine your powers and provide you with another cell. Trust me, you'll be amazed to see what's there."

"What's to like over there opposed to what's here?"

"We can save it for when we get there. Just don't get to comfortable once we're there. We don't allow prisoners to go anywhere without my authorization."

A guard puts cuffs on my wrists again and walks me out of my cell with Crosby. The guards escort me over to the helipad outside the prison where Crosby's helicopter is docked. I've never ridden a helicopter before, but I sure have blew up one with an RPG. There goes irony again.

"Why are we taking a helicopter?" I ask Crosby.

"HQ is in Portland. It's a two hour drive from here. Unless we fly, we'll get there in less than half an hour."

Me and Crosby hop inside the back seat of the chopper and buckle up with my cuffs still on my wrists. I was going to be wearing these cuffs for quite some time. Wasn't sure when Crosby would let me take them off, but I didn't care. I couldn't put my seat belt on with my cuffs on. So the pilot kindly put them on for me. People were going to have to pick up a finger for me for as long as my cuffs stayed on. The pilot started the engines and the propellers began to spin around above us. Then we were slowly levitating off the ground and were eventually high enough to fly away from the prison and off to Portland we go.

We flew at least five thousand feet into the air. I could see the highway and the Tillamook Forest from my window on the chopper. We had been flying for at least twenty minutes now. We would be arriving in Portland shortly.

"So Mr. Crosby, do mind telling me more about the protest in Arcadia Bay? Maybe that incident at the Prescott Estate? Heard it all on the news."

"I am aware of the protest in Arcadia Bay and it was quite predictable from the get go. Considering Prescott's unlimited power in Arcadia that made him declare martial law as well as the manhunt for you and Rachel, it's been a major predicament for the town and even Blackwell, especially. I was there during the shootout at the Prescott Estate and Sean Prescott wasn't pleased. Once the shooting died down, he forced me to leave. He's been little too skeptical lately about our partnership. He's just as stubborn as his late son ever was."

"Nathan was no different from Sean. He was always extremely stubborn and narcissistic as his own father is now before he died. It was a little more than the negative influence his Father prolonged on him that destroyed him however. For the most part, it's complicated story between him and my former art teacher Mr. Jefferson. A story I don't even like talking about myself."

"Prescott always told me about Jefferson. And I will agree about how complicated the story is and how it ended in a tragic gesture. I alone wouldn't blame Nathan's own Father for what happened. Some things in life are just not preventable."

"Do you really think it was Rachel Amber that started that massacre at the Prescott's like they're saying?"

"I don't think was Rachel Amber. I know it was Rachel Amber."

It was pretty much a question I knew the answer to. Regardless why Rachel would believe it was worth making Chloe risk her life in such a place, I knew they would be doing the right thing for me. I was more worried if Rachel was able to keep Chloe alive at the same time.

"How's Chloe by the way? Is she safe? Is she okay?"

"Relax, Max. Chloe's still safe in Arcadia Bay. I got to speak with her Step-Father, David and he approved her help."

"Oh, good. David's usually not the greatest person to allow strangers to withhold Chloe's accountability. Frankly, he has been doing his best to be a better Father to her. He won't regret his approval. If you don't mind me asking, what's first thing we do once we get there."

"I figured I'd give you a quick tour of HQ before we take you to your room. You just might be amazed what we do there."

"I thought this was a prisoner transfer. Not a field trip."

"On my authority, Max, consider it to be both. You deserve to know more about what it's like serving Chrysalis."

"Well how nice of you. This is starting to feel like the beginning of new relationship between a quantum criminal and a CEO. If I'm somehow found not guilty during my trial, maybe you and I could make good partners in time. How does that sound?"

Crosby chuckled.

"I thought you already had a partner in time?"

"There's always room for one more in my circus of time travel. It wouldn't be fair if Chloe had to be the only one."

Crosby smiled.

From a distance, we were approaching our destination. We finally arrived at Portland seeing the sight of buildings and skyscrapers overshadowing the view from the helicopter. I could see the infamous Portland, Oregon sign with a deer displayed on it from above. We hover over a bunch more building before approaching Chrysalis HQ. When we do approach HQ, Crosby points out the location.

"There it is. Chrysalis HQ," he said pointing out the direction. "We'll be landing on the helipad on top of the building once we get close enough."

The view of the headquarters was amazing. The place had been a very tall building with a rod set on top of it. There had also been a huge sign and a logo displayed on the building as well titled:

CHRYSALIS

THERE AND BACK AGAIN

"Wowser," I say to myself.

Somehow I felt like I've seen this building before. I remember six months back when me Chloe were in Seattle to visit my parents having those visions far more foreboding than the ones related to the storm in Arcadia. I had seen this building in my visions. This was the building that showed a big maelstrom in the sky hovering over it and where the shadow figure proclaimed it to be the end of time. It was all coming back to me again, but perhaps I would have better thoughts taking a tour inside the building than flying around it reliving my visions again. It was a start.

The chopper lands on the helipad and the propellers slower stop spinning once we get out of the helicopter. There were two guards waiting for us outside near the helipad. They were there to escort me around the compound while Crosby was going to give me the tour.

"Gentlemen, escort Ms. Caulfield around the compound," Crosby ordered. "Make sure the cuffs stay on until I say they can come off."

"Yes, sir," replied the guard.

I follow Crosby to the elevator inside the building while the guards escort me from behind. Once we get in the elevator, we take it down to the lobby on the lowest floor of the building. As the elevator lowers itself down to the lobby, I get a view of the front lobby from the glass window on the elevator. What I see is a beautiful visual of the hugest lobby I've ever seen. There had been a huge holographic logo projected as a centerpiece down in the lobby. The place was also crowded with people employed to Chrysalis. It was crowded with scientist, co-workers, managers, even guards patrolling the place, you name it. My eyes widen and smile in amazement.

"Max Caulfield, welcome to Chrysalis," said Crosby. "There and back again."

The tagline "There and Back Again" had been the company's slogan. It sounded like a week slogan. Unless you can come up with anything else that's fancier, I say it's simple enough to remember. I had no problem with it.

The elevator comes to a stop and we walk down the crowded lobby. I supposed this was the beginning of the tour. I great start for a tour at that. The place had decorated with fake trees and grass to make the area look nicer and prettier. I could see balconies built for the higher floors surrounding the area from top to bottom. There was also a glass ceiling with a chandelier built above the higher floors as well as electronic ads and propaganda signs displayed on the walls and balconies. The structure of the vicinity I was touring through was a masterpiece.

"Wowser, Mr. Crosby. This is quite the circus you going on. This is amazing. What is this place anyways?"

"This Ms. Caulfield is the Central Intelligence Hub. Also known as the lobby. Over here at this panel is where it gives you a brief history of this Corporation."

The panel was located where the logo was projected in the center of the hub. Crosby activated the panel and the logo transitioned to a video projection about Chrysalis's histoy. There were loud speakers in the area for everyone to hear the video's audio. The video had shown images and stock footage of Chrysalis history as it played.

 _"Welcome to Chrysalis. There and back again. In 1899, Dr. Ezra Miller Prescott, a meteorologist studying the Chaos Theory, was the first person to discover the supernatural power capable of manipulating time. Over the decades, the Prescott family kept the discovery top secret. Until 1994, co-founders of Chrysalis Derrick Crosby, Sean Prescott, and Sabian Sorenson came to the ambition of creating an organization made for the research and development of quantum control. In 1999, the Chrysalis corporation was founded. Today, Chrysalis is now building a better tomorrow for the future of quantum chemistry. We hope you enjoy your visit here at Chrysalis. Thank you."_

Yet even more irony came to mind. A Prescott that lived in the eighteen hundreds become the first person on Earth to discover time travel powers and not a hundred years later does another Prescott help find an organization built to organize time control. Will the fun never end?

"So a Prescott from the eighteen hundreds discovers time travel and then one hundred years later another Prescott from the modern era finds an organization made for time travel," I say to myself. "Talk about irony."

"It gets more interesting from here on out, Max," said Crosby. It gets more interesting from here on out."

The next place we tour to is the Chrysalis labs. The labs were located on the upper levels. So we had to take the elevator again to get out next destination. We walk into the lab area to see something more interesting during the tour.

"What's this place?" I ask.

"This, Max Caulfield, is the science laboratory," replied Crosby. "Here is where the fun begins. This is where our best scientist in Chrysalis study quantum chemistry. Whether I'd be quantum physics, quantum exposure, quantum machinery, you name it."

I had seen scientist doing research on what Crosby mentioned they would research. There were some scientist working on quantum physics using experimental exhibits they made for themselves. One exhibit showcased a metal cube inside a chronon-proof glass container being broken into pieces and then being put back together again with use of some kind of regulator designed to reverse time. Another exhibit showcased a soda can being crushed to the center and using the same method to making can look untouched again.

There were also scientist using rats in one of the exhibits for quantum exposure. Looked interesting yet disturbing. They appeared to be injecting chronon serum into their bodies that would do some weird side effects to them. Talk about animal cruelty. So disturbing. So no cool. It looked creepy.

The next destination we stop at is the security center. The security center was underground below the compound. So we took the elevator below ground level. The security center was a huge place packed with military grade hardware and surplus. It looked more like garage or a hanger of some sort. And it was. There were soldiers and security officers marching around the place. The place had Chrysalis vehicles in store. Such as vans, trucks, tanks, etc.

"What you're seeing here is our own private military and security branch," said Crosby. "I'm pretty sure you've encountered all this back in Arcadia Bay when Prescott sent my men into Blackwell."

"This is some military you've got going on, Crosby. Anything more I should know?"

"At Chrysalis, we prepare the best of the best for the worst of the worst. We train our task force for every quantum terrorist attack there is. Our military grade equipment, hardware, and technology is designed to bring balance and order to the universe. Rankings go from standard security officer, to PMC, to striker enforcer, etc. To give you the shorter version, we're a super power for hire."

I had caught a glimpse of some strikers. Which appeared to be the same bozos that attacked me on the Blackwell courtyard. I already knew what the strikers had been trained to do when I had fought my first batch. Something else I hadn't encountered before caught my eye as well. There was a guy in some sort of heavily armored suit that was being assembled onto him.

"Mr. Crosby, who's that guy in the heavy armor?"

"That Ms. Caulfield, is one of our juggernaut enforcers wearing one of our heavy duty mech armor. AKA, our exo-suits. Made of bulletproof alloy and powered by chronon energy for time stutter encounters."

"Don't those striker guys or whatever have suits made for time stutters or whatever?"

"It's not their suits that give them the immunity to time stutter, it's their harnesses they wear as well as their chronon powered thrusters they wear on their backs. You however, have a chronon powered body giving you the immunity. The immunity that allowed you to save Kate Marsh from suicide and the will power to fight those strikers. It's best we get moving. My men don't like the sight of prisoners being here."

The next area Crosby takes me is the surveillance area. Located on the upper floors of the compound. We walk by the surveillance room that watch over the entire compound, but Crosby didn't want to show me those rooms. Instead, he showed me a room far more impressive than anything I've seen in this building yet. We walk into a dark room where a small chair stand on a glowing platform.

"What is this place?" I ask.

"This is some place you'll be amazed of more than anything you've seen thus far. Better yet, the true question you should asking, how did I know so much about that week."

"That week?"

Crosby sat on the chair and activated a big computer screen projected a map of the globe. The screen had illuminated the room like a Christmas tree. With video files floating around the area like snow globes. My jaw had dropped completely. My eyes were given the adrenaline of something phenomenal.

"Say hello to the Time Broker," said Crosby introducing the computer. "Our state of the art surveillance system designed to track down all supernormal activity of quantum alteration across the globe. What your seeing here are archives of what Chrysalis has monitored globally."

"Wowser, Crosby. How did you come up with all this junk? This is hella incredible. As Chloe would say. I didn't know you kept track of the entire globe of time travel."

"This is an international corporation, Max. Of course we do."

Crosby had shown me examples of what the Time Broker had tracked down over the years via security footage. There were archives of other people with time powers fighting Chrysalis soldiers, quantum terrorist attacks, even footage people rewinding time to fix certain things they way I do.

"How is this video feed able to see the effects of rewinding time?" I ask.

"Our surveillance tech is chronon powered of course. As I've said before, anything powered by chronons is immune to the art of time bending. In fact, we even have footage of you with your powers."

Crosby pulled up some footage of me using my powers. What a surprise. I actually get to relive my crazy moments of time bending. In fact, I got to relive my crazy moments of time rewind that first week my life was sabotaged by chronon exposure via footage from the Time Broker.

The first piece of footage Crosby had pulled up was some moments dated on the seventh of October from a year earlier. From Nathan threatening Chloe at gunpoint, to Victoria getting showered by Samuel's paint bucket, to me and Chloe dancing in her bedroom, and so forth. Of course, the footage was able to take visual of me rewinding time fix every do-dad of the day of my reunion with Chloe. Then Crosby pulled up footage of the following day. From me and Chloe hanging out at Joyce's diner, to us shooting bottles at the junkyard, to me saving Chloe from the train, all the way until me saving Kate from the roof.

This was fucking crazy. All this time a time travel oriented organization had been stalking my every move under the radar. It was no wonder why Crosby had been so nonchalantly sentimental about me up until now. Him and his entire corporation alone had the complete audacity to understand what I had to go through that week. If not perhaps get their suspicions of me and Rachel secretly meeting each other back in Arcadia. And now all those moments of that week were now surveillance archives that now belong to Chrysalis.

Crosby basically skimmed through every memorable moment of mine from that week up until the day Arcadia Bay was ground zero. And of course, I just had to relive the most heart wrenching moment of my life between me and Chloe. The day that came when Chloe wouldn't if my ultimatum had revolted to the contrary. The lesser said, the better. There was no more footage left to see. I had seen enough.

"Hey, I'm sorry I made you relive that," Crosby apologized empathically. Turning his head over to me. "You okay?"

"I'm fine. This must explain why you would remorse for me this much if I'm right. You actually watched live through this. And you didn't want me to suffer more than I had to."

"That's right. There's one more thing I like to show you before we take you to your room. I suggest we get a move on."

Crosby shut down the computer and we all walked out of the room. Our next stop was Special Projects on the higher floors above the surveillance rooms. We take the elevator up three more floors to get there. Once we're there, we walk into yet another room darkened by blackness. But the room looks bigger than the Time Broker room. The room is so much bigger, we walk onto a balcony upon entry. The lights turn on revealing an enormous room built with generators and circuit breakers powering up some kind core contained in glass. It sort of reminded me of the Death Star's main reactor from Return of the Jedi.

"Here it is Max. I give you...Project Elysium. Our top ambitious project ever conducted here at Chrysalis."

As if there weren't enough surprises revealed already, if can't even think about how many time I'll say wowser for every reaction to every surprise. The more surprises, the more wowsers. I thought the Time Broker was superficial, this Project Elysium that Crosby called looked more overly ambitious the Mona Lisa. No kidding.

"Holy wowser, Crosby. Are you cereal? What kind of cutting edge dog crap is this?"

"This cutting edge dog crap, Max, is our special kind of project our top scientist at Chrysalis has worked on since day one of this corporation. Powered by Chrysalis's new software, Chronos."

"Chronos? That's the name of your software?"

"It's named after foreign mythology. Come on. I'll give you a closer look."

Crosby and the two guards walked me down stairs off the balcony to get a closer view. Crosby explained more about the Project as we walked down from the balcony.

"So why is this called Project Elysium anyways?" I ask.

"Well Max, first and foremost, it's a complicated question. Second, this project was designed to change the world."

"Change the world in what way?"

"Elysium is defined as a conception of the afterlife that developed and maintained by Greek mythology. Think of the project as entering through the gates of heaven. For fifteen years, our researchers wanted to believe this mythology to be true. And so we've spent the last decade developing this project to fulfill our ambiguity of Elysium."

"You said Elysium is interpreted as an afterlife. The world of heaven so to speak. Why would your researchers want to believe something mythical even exist?"

"The answer to that question is classified. I will tell you this though. What your seeing here for this project is the ESR. Elysium Server Regulator. AKA the countermeasure that powers the server's core. We call it a server because Project Elysium is not only the technology designed to enter the world of Elysium, it's also a future product we'll be unveiling publicly."

"A product? Define product."

"We're allowed to reveal to many detail about it just yet, Max. But here's the short version. Our product runs on the ESR. Once we release our product for retail, the consumers will able to enter Elysium via simulators we built for everyone that too runs on the Chronos software. Named after the God of Time from Greek mythology as well."

"And why would anyone want to visualize this Elysium you speak of using simulators?"

"Our product is being designed for depression therapy. Let's say if someone were to loose someone they loved so dearly to them and they find it harder and harder to cope with their losses. Elysium will allow them to enter the world itself so they may see the ones they lost again and will never have to suffer from their depression of their losses again."

"So...you're saying the people would go to heaven with this software? Just so they'll be able to see their loved one who died again? That's a bit awkward don't you think?"

Crosby chuckled.

"We get that a lot from our tourist. Though the idea may sound ridiculous to some, it would be the valuable future for others."

Everything I had learned thus far in this building was that Prescott had founded Chrysalis with Crosby, a Time Broker is used to track down quantum breaking activity, and now a special project is being developed for going to heaven. Powered by Chronos. A software named after a Greek God of Time. What a charade it has been since my arrival. This place might as well be run by Skynet from the Terminator franchise.

"I believe it's about time we escort you to your room Ms. Caulfield. I've shown you more than enough already. Right this way."

Crosby and the guards take me over to the detention area in the compound. When we get to my room, I'm rather surprised about the looks of it. It's nicer compared to my old cell. It was no fancy looking penthouse or what not, but at least it had a more decent looking bed and TV screen. As well as a sink to wash my hands and face with and a toilet I can use to hit the John.

"This will be your room for the next couple of days until your case in court comes to a consensus. As I've said before Max, don't get too comfortable. This wasn't just a tour. It was prisoner transfer. I'll be seeing you in a few hours for your first examination. In the meantime, tata."

The guards remove my cuffs and they all walk out the room locking me in. And now I was to become their lab rat in a few hours. The best I was able to do was to sit tight and relax until it was all over. When it would be all over, either I'm found guilty and sent back to prison for the rest of eternity or I'm found not guilty and get to reunite with my bluenette again. Whatever happens, at least Chloe and Rachel are doing something about this. In other words, it is what it is.

 **Note: I know I was less than able to post two chapter the previous week, but finals this time around is definitely getting the better of my. Bare with me folks, I should be able to post more chapters when Christmas break starts just so you know.**

 **I hope this was a nice introduction to whole field of Chrysalis ladies and gents. I not only had finals to prepare for I had to spend some time developing both Max and Crosby's relationship as well as the lore of the Chrysalis community. That's what pretty much kept this chapter from being posted sooner. I only hope my writing wasn't too hokey and flakey.**

 **Until next time, stay golden.**


	12. Dr Sorenson

Chapter 12 Part 1 Info

Chloe

April 15th, 2014

9:50 AM

Arcadia Bay, Oregon

Two Whales Diner

I arrive at my Mother's diner and park my truck in the small parking lot beside it. It took longer than usual to get due to the roads being closed off by Chrysalis enforcement and the civil disobedience opposed to it. I had driven by closed roads guarded by troops with protesters waving picket signs and shouting out "Hell no, Chrysalis go! You tell Prescott we won't go!" behind the barrier fences. The longer this Max and Rachel situation was kept up, the more serious things would get.

I walk into the diner and see Warren texting on his phone. I walk over to where he sits to sit down and hear what he had to say to me.

"Chloe, glad you could make it. What kept ya?"

"Have you looked outside, Warren? It's fucking Iraq in Arcadia Bay with soldiers and protesters blocking the streets. That's what kept me."

"Right. Can't blame you for that."

"You said you found something that might interest me. Make it worth my while."

"Well, considering you'll be helping defend Max with her case in court, I though you might want to look at this."

Warren pulled up a web page on his phone and had me take a look at it. It was a Wikipedia page about quantum terrorist.

"I was looking up some interesting facts about quantum terrorism last night and I came across this on Wikipedia."

"What is it?"

"It's a quantum terrorist group founded in the early two-thousands that was countering the Chrysalis security branch. Meaning they were funded with the same military hardware and technology Chrysalis has. They call themselves Neo-Chrysalis."

"Neo-Chrysalis? Like Neo-Nazi?"

"Yeah, sort of. But that's besides the point. Neo-Chrysalis is known to be a deadlier terrorist organization than Al-Qaeda. People like the CIA and National Security have tried taking down these terrorist for year but have always failed. When Chrysalis became aware of it, they've always tried getting the upper hand towards them as well. But then again, it was no easier for them than it was for others. Rumor has it, these terrorist have performed some kind of supernatural rituals that are capable of destroying civilization."

"Hmm, keep going."

"It says here that Chrysalis have theorized these rituals to be performed globally. For instance, there were theories about Hurricane Katrina being an act of terrorism using the destructive rituals. There are even more theories about twisters in Kansas even tsunamis in Japan being terrorist attacks. What if the twister that hit this town six months ago was ritualized. You know, terrorism so to speak."

"So...what you're telling me is that you think that tornado that struck the town was ritualized by these terrorist who call themselves Neo-Chrysalis or something?"

"Why not? It's my only logical guess if you ask me. They're saying that Max had caused the problem. What if they're wrong? Suffice it to say, what if Neo-Chrysalis set Max up or something? This may be a good lead to clear her name out."

"Well Warren, we can't just bring this up in court and tell the judge this is all the evidence to clear her name now can we? Rachel already has some pretty good leads for Max anyways. We should probably wait it out until then."

"Well maybe I can send this info to Rachel or something. It could be really useful."

"Maybe. I'll just have to tell Rachel about it. But she already has her hands full deciphering evidence to prove Max's innocence at moment. Is there anything else you like to share before I go?"

"Nothing else for now, Chloe. I just hope it was worth your time."

"By the way, Warren, how's everything at Blackwell? I heard about the protest over there."

"It's not pretty, Chloe. Besides from Chrysalis security harassing us every time we have to get to class and back to our dorms, I've never seen Victoria become so prevalent to start a school strike. She's got like all the woman power in the world to start anything at Blackwell."

"Pff, I know how Victoria's mind works. Is she leading the protest alone?"

"Nah, some of her Vortex Club friends are leading with her. Kate had told me she wanted to lead with them and was offered to do so."

"Who? Kate Marsh? She wants to lead with Victoria? Didn't Kate used to get picked on by Victoria at one time?"

"They've been putting their differences behind them. Victoria was nice enough to let her lead with each other and so she actually accepted the offer. It was all part of Kate's token of forgiveness and redemption. Perks of being a Christian."

"You know for someone as religiously Christian as Kate is, you don't think protesting would make her a sinner or anything?"

"In her code, protesting isn't a sin. It's a pathway to hope and liberty. That's what she told me when I asked her the same question. After all, she's been praying for Max since the day they took her in."

"Well Warren, it was nice chatting with you. Thanks for the info. I'll be sure to tell Rachel."

"Don't mention it, Chloe. Good luck with Max's case tomorrow. Your going to need it."

Chapter 12 Part 2 Dr. Sorenson

Max

April 15th, 2014

12:04 PM

Portland, Oregon

Chrysalis HQ

I had been sitting in my cell for nearly three hours waiting for my examination. There was nothing else for me to do there than to lay down on my bed watch television. At least there were able to let me watch some of my favorite modern cartoons like Gravity Falls and Steven Universe. Me and Chloe had grown up watching Spongebob Squarepants and Invader Zim when we were little brats. The cartoons I had been watching today were some that me and Chloe enjoy ourselves. I heard someone unlocking my cell door and the guards had returned for me.

"Crosby would like to see you in his office," said the guard. "Turn around and face the wall, ma'am. Put your hands behind your head where I can see them."

I get off the bed and do as I'm told. The guard takes my hands from behind my head and cuffs them. The two men in the security uniforms escort me out of my cell and take me to the top floor where Crosby's office was located using the elevator. When me and the guards enter the office, there was man in a lab coat sitting by Crosby's desk where Crosby himself had been waiting for me with the person who was with him. I assumed the man in the lab coat was one of Chrysalis's scientist or whatnot. It was my only obvious guess.

"Ah, there she is. Our guest of honor has arrived," the man in the lab coat said.

"Max, this is Dr. Sorenson," said Crosby introducing the man. "Chief Science Officer of Chrysalis, co-founder of Chrysalis, and curator for Project Elysium. Guards, you can remove the cuffs. Ms. Caulfield won't be any trouble."

The guards unlocked the cuffs off my wrists and left the office. The office itself looked pretty snazzy from where I stood. There was an enormous glass window in the room that allowed people to get a bird's eye view of Portland. There also some nice furniture in the room to sit on too.

Dr. Sorenson looked a little older than Crosby and even Sean Prescott. The three of them all founded the company and I guessed they must have been close pals taking the ambition to develop Chrysalis. Sorenson also had a real thick voice. If not a foreign accent of some kind. He even came out just as friendly as Crosby when I was first introduced to him. Way more friendly compared to how Prescott always come off.

"Have seat, dear," said Sorenson. "We have a lot to discuss."

I shake Sorenson's hand and the three of us sit down on the furniture set up in the room. Then we all have a friendly chat with each other.

"I must admit, Ms. Caulfield, it's an honor to meet after all these months."

"It's an honor to meet you as well, Dr. Sorenson. Call me Max if you don't mind."

"As you most certainly wish, Max. Crosby told me I can call you whatever you want to be."

"Charming. So what is it that you want to talk about? I've already told most people about my personal history with my power."

"It's not about your personal history, Max. It's more about yourself in general."

"What about it?"

"Crosby may have mentioned that we brought you here for study. We want to learn more about your abilities Max. We want to know if your really the person people think you are or if your the opposite."

"What do you mean?"

"What I mean is that we want to study the true nature and practicality of your powers. Here at Chrysalis, we provide ourselves with test subjects exposed to the same powers you withhold in order to determine the capability of time wielding as excruciating to the environment that surrounds the time wielder or beneficial to whatever the time wielder wishes to differentiate."

"Oh let me guess. This is the part where I become your lab rat now. No way, no how."

"Max, hear us out for a minute," said Crosby. "If you do this for us, we not only learn more about your powers, we can also bring this up in court as well."

"In court? What are you saying?"

"What I'm saying is that both the judge and jury would want to know what you actually do with your powers via video footage of your sessions you'll be taking for us. Otherwise, there wouldn't be much evidence to determine the verdict."

"So what you're saying is that you want me to go into your little laboratory just for some footage of me using my powers for the judge and jury to see?"

"You'll be taking your sessions in the test chambers and simulation rooms," Sorenson reassured. "Not in the labs."

"Either way, I don't think Chloe or my parents especially are going to enjoy that."

"They're opinions won't mean anything to us, Max," said Crosby. "Besides, I already made an agreement with your parents about it and they said they were cool with it. After all, I also offered them a chance to see what you can actually do with your powers."

"Really? When did you do that?"

"Just recently. They're on they're way over here right now as we speak."

Before I could say anything else, the office door had opened revealing two guards escorting my unexpected visitors. And there they were. My parents had walked into the office and just so happened to get here in the nick of time.

"Speak of the devil," said Crosby.

"Max, sweetheart!" my Mom had shouted.

"Mom! Dad!" I shout back.

I rush my way over to my parents and give my Mom a hug. My Dad rubs my hair with his hand for my warm welcome.

"Are you okay, Max? Did they hurt you?"

"Settle down, Vanessa," my Dad said calming his wife down. "Crosby promised us Max was okay."

"I'm fine, Mom. Really... Look, Mom, I'm sorry. Okay? I'm so sorry I have to make you-"

"Max, sweetie, as of right now you don't need to be sorry," said Vanessa. "Your Father told me what you had to go through. You're safe. That's all that matters."

"Are you and Dad still upset about what I did? Even if I didn't ask for it to happen?"

"Max, me and your Mother both know you didn't mean for this to happen. Alright? You have our forgiveness. Crosby told us what they were going to do to you and I successfully managed to convince your Mother into seeing your powers. Even though it wasn't easy."

"For the record, you and Mom really deserve to know more about my powers," I said. "I suppose your right. I just want you to all know, please don't freak out. I want you to prepare yourselves for what you'll see."

"We will, Max. Your Mother and I will be ready for anything. You don't need to worry about us."

"Well how kind of you. Considering how foolish I acted in that interrogation room, I'm surprised you don't even care anymore."

"Max, that no longer matters," said Vanessa. "Like your Father said, if we had known about this sooner, we would've acted differently. The sooner you get out those rags, if you get out of those rags, the better. That's all the matters."

I give both my parents hugs accepting their forgiveness. In time, they'll have to accept who am now if they haven't already.

"Guards, escort Mr. and Mrs. Caulfield to the observation rooms near the test chambers," Crosby ordered the guards. "We'll take care of their daughter and make sure she gets there too."

The guards did what they were asked and walked my parents out of the room for a brief moment. Then I was left in the room with Crosby and Sorenson. Whenever they were ready to take me to the test chambers.

"So are we doing this, Crosby or what?" I ask him. "My parents sounded pretty anxious to see what I can do."

"Just so you know, Max," began Crosby. "If your parents overreact about what they see, they're be much we can do. Understood?"

"If you say so," I say nodding. "I know how my parents are. No matter how they react, we don't got a whole lot of choice, do we?"

"No we don't. We better get to work. We've got a lot catching up to do. Let's keep your parents waiting."

 **Note: If you guys think this episode is getting a little boring, I apologize. I know the episode so far has been nothing but filler, other than reading the heist mission in this episode, but bear with me folks. It's only pacing.**

 **So I decided to make this chapter two parts for two different POV's. I'm sure you noticed. This episode will get better as it progresses.**

 **Until next time, stay golden.**


	13. Lab Rat

Chapter 13 Lab Rat

Max

April 15th, 2014

12:28 PM

Portland, Oregon

Chrysalis HQ

I am taken to a preparation room for a procedure I have to go through before entering the test chambers. Dr. Sorenson and some other scientist have me sit on a checkup bench to run my blood pressure, scan my body for x-rays, and inject me with a dose of Chronox. The drug I take to undermine my Chronon Syndrome. Only that I have taken it via pills and not injections. The needle stings a little as it's injected into my neck. At least I wasn't being drugged to death by a man with glasses and a goatee to be kidnapped into a porno bunker.

"Remind me why I have to go through these procedures again?" I ask Sorenson.

"Only for precautions, Max," he answers. "We always want to make sure every one of our subjects is healthy and stable enough to enter the test chambers or simulators. We don't want your Chronon Syndrome to effect your sessions now would we?"

"I know what you mean."

Upon entering the test chamber, I walk into a decontamination room before entering. The door in the small room shuts automatically behind me and the room is sprayed down with smoke and steam. Once decontamination is complete, a scanning laser in the room scans for my identity. I hear a VI's voice in the room speaking out my identify and persona.

 _"Identity confirmed. Maxine Caulfield. Test Subject 921. Confirmed: Chronon Exposed."_

"Unbelievable," I say to myself.

The door in front me opens and I walk into a huge white room the size of a gymnasium. It was the test chamber of course. It reminded me of those Aperture Science test chamber rooms from the Portal video games. All you needed was Glados to be talking to you would be fine.

When walked into the chamber, it was nothing but pure whiteness all around me. What would I be doing here? There must've been something here for me to do?

 _"Ms. Caulfield, can you hear my voice?"_

I had heard Crosby's voice on the intercom.

"Yeah, I hear you. Loud and clear."

 _"Welcome to the test chamber, Max. I know this room may not look to much to you, but Sorenson here will explain what you need to do."_

Sorenson voice then transitioned over on the intercom.

 _"Alright, Max. Here's what your going to do. This entire room here is made specifically for time wielders only. The observation room we're standing inside is chronon proof. Meaning whatever time alterations you cause inside the chamber won't have any effect on us. That way we'll be able to see all your capabilities such as rewind or whatnot. Crosby and I along with your parents and my assistants will be watching everything you do from here. Just follow my instructions and you'll do fine. Understood?"_

"Noted."

There was a glass window above the chamber adjoining the observation room for everyone including Crosby, Sorenson, and my parents to view my performance. The first task of my session was about to begin. Inside the chamber, there was a dispenser that slid right of the wall with a pistol displayed on it.

 _"Take that pistol from the dispenser, Max,"_ said Sorenson on the intercom. _"You're gonna need it."_

I do as I'm asked to and take the gun from the dispenser. Whatever the reason I needed it, I did what I was asked. The three little tables rose out of the floor in the chamber revealing a stack of bricks on one table, a stack of glass bottles on another, and a watermelon on the table next to them.

 _"Okay, Max. Here's your first task. The objects you see in front of you are a stack of bricks, glass bottles, and a watermelon. First, shoot the bricks with that pistol in your hand. Then use your rewind to put them back together."_

I aim for the bricks with my hand gun shoot them. The penetration of the bullet fired from my gun break one brick and causes the others to tumble down and crack open. Then I raise my hand in front of and rewind to put the bricks back together as instructed. And then the bricks were stacked together again.

 _"Now shoot the bottles next to the bricks and rewind."_

I aim for the bottles and shoot them. Causing the them to shatter into broken glass. Then rewind as I did for the bricks. The bottles were now unbroken.

 _"Now shoot the watermelon and do same as you did with the bricks and glass bottles."_

When I shoot the watermelon, the fruit explodes into mush. I rewind and the fruit is solid again.

 _"One more thing I need for you to do. Shoot every one of those objects at the same time and then rewind to solidify the three objects all at once."_

How enthusiastic. I shoot the three objects in front of me with three bullets from my gun and the bottles shatter, the bricks crumble, and watermelon blows away. I rewind time to put everything back together starting with the watermelon reversing itself from it explosion to the bricks stacking themselves up again to the shattered glass reforming themselves back into bottles. Tada.

 _"Good work, Max. Now let's move on to your next task."_

I holster my gun in my pants and the tables with the three objects descend. Then I'm presented with a new task. The floor raises two stacks of cubes. Ones that remind me of Portal again. The were arranged the same way as my first three objects that I had to break except with no tables. Wondered what I would do with these ones.

 _"We're going to try something a little different here, Max. It's time we demonstrate the usage of your time blast. We're going to need you to use it to blow away those stacks of cubes in front of you. Use your time blast to blow away the stack on your left. Then rewind."_

This was getting exciting. Now they already wanted me to use my time blast. The one ability of mine that sucks up most of my chronon energy and gives me nose bleeds at times. Bigger than the ones I get from rewinding too many times in a matter of minutes. Nevertheless I did what I was told.

I took a deep breath before clenching fingers together to charge up my time blast. I didn't want to charge it too much so it would blast both stacks. Once I felt like my time blast was charged up enough, I thrust the chronon energy I absorbed straight at the left stack and it blows away. Causing the cubes to fumble around like baby blocks. Then I rewind to stack the cubes back to together simple as that. I do the same progress for the next stack when Sorenson tells me to. Using the same three step process. Charge. Blast. Rewind. Easy as pie.

The last thing they wanted to me to do was blast both stack at the same time and then rewind. Meaning I would have to absorb a lot of my chronon energy for a bigger blast. I wonder how my parents must be reacting to all this by now. Somehow I know how my Mother must be reacting since it's always Mothers that get the more emotional approach at first. Wasn't sure about my Father however. I know he wouldn't react the same as my Mom would, that didn't mean he wouldn't be as skeptical either.

I had to do this for Chrysalis's sake. No matter how my parents would feel. I take a super deep breath this time. Ready to absorb all the energy I can get out of myself. This time I have to take both my hands together in order absorb enough chronon particles for a bigger blast. When I do, I can feel every chronon cell in my body rumbling through my skin and with all my rage I let out massive blast that blows away every cube in both stacks in the chamber. The blast is so powerful, more powerful than Goku's Kamehameha wave from Dragon Ball Z, the cubes fly around like rapid moving snow in a blizzard. With all the energy I have left to consume, I quickly rewind to pile the cubes back into a neat stack of blocks again.

I catch my last breath and bend down holding my knees. I'm now breathy heavily attempting to calm my body from too much chronon consumption. I even feel my nose bleeding too and wipe it off with my finger.

 _"Okay, Max. That's enough,"_ said Sorenson. _"Give yourself a second or two to catch your breath before your next task."_

"Did I really... have to...waste all that energy...for that task?"

 _"Take it easy, Max,"_ said Crosby. _"The next task will be less chronon consuming. Just take a breather and you'll be alright."_

I sit on the white floor to cease myself as the stacks of cubes descend. Once I've caught my breath, I could see my parents getting a little hysterical at Crosby and Sorenson through the glass window of the observation room. I just only finished my second task and already my Mom looks like she wants to slap Crosby in the face. Luckily, my Dad is able to get her to relax before she makes things worse. Either I was making myself look bad in front of my parents like I did back in prison, or Crosby and Sorenson were. Regardless, my parents take a step back and let the professionals take care of me.

 _"Okay, Max. Time for your next task,"_ said Sorenson.

I get my ass off the floor and give my body a little stretch before my next task begins. Then it begins.

 _"We're going to do a little bit of combat simulating. You still have your gun with you right? Here's some ammo for your gun. Your going to need it."_

The wall dispenser sticks out again serving me some handgun ammo for me cased in little gun clips and ammo boxes. I eject the gun clip from the grip of my gun to check my current ammo. Then I take the spare ammo that was dispensed for me.

I wonder by now if parents hate these guys for making me use a gun. Hell, I just mowed down almost fifty Chrysalis troops back in Arcadia. Why should my parents have to worry about me handling a gun?

When the simulation began, there were three Chrysalis security officers simulated in the room. They had just stood there like statues. The graphics of the simulated guards legitimately looked like the ones that I have seen in reality. And they were.

 _"Your first task for combat simulation is simple. Just shoot the three guards you see in front you and rewind. That simple."_

That simple he says. He says it like they're training me to be a killer. I knew it wasn't what he really meant, but my parents could every word they say. I knew that much. Nonetheless, I did what I was told. I shot the three guards all at once and they all dropped dead. I rewind to bring the simulated guards back from the dead and they stood there like statues again. How original.

I was given few more task to do with the simulated guards. Sorenson had given me a task where I had to use my time dash to dodge bullets fired from the fabricated Chrysalis figures and then dash right towards them to push them away. At first, they made me do it with one simulated figure, then two, then three. Whether it would be time dashing toward one or shooting them once I dodged their fire. I had done those task until they felt I was confident enough for a more challenging task.

 _"Okay, Max. Looks like you can handle yourself for more challenging task,"_ said Sorenson. _"The next couple of task will have you engage into real combat this time. But before we let you do that, take this magnum from the dispenser and replace it with the gun you have."_

This time they give me a more high power pistol. A .44 Magnum to be exact. A revolver more specifically speaking. I take the heavy pistol replacing it with my current weapon. Along with some ammo for my magnum. The gave me a more effective weapon for reason. And that reason was for a greater challenge.

 _"Your next challenges will have you facing against stronger. We'll be simulating more sufficient opponents such as soldiers or grenadiers. We might even give you a striker opponents as well."_

"Strikers? You mean those guys that dash around in the armored hazmat suits?"

 _"You know what I mean, Max. Let the games begin."_

When the games begin, there are cover walls raised from the floor that prepare me for combat. When the fabricated soldier figures simulated, I quickly move to cover as I'm being fired upon. Whether my parents can take this well or not, I shoot and take cover. Firing on every simulated soldier I see. I get a greater kick out of the magnum I'm firing with that packs a greater punch from the weaker pistol I used previously.

The task gets even more challenging when the test chamber displays more cover walls and more difficult opponents. I'm able to use my time powers to my advantage against my fabricated opponents if had to however. Eventually, I move on to one final task before my session ends as the simulation ends and the cover wall are lowered to the ground.

 _"Outstanding, Max."_ Sorenson complimented. _"You combat skills are remarkable. Now there's only one more task you have to for us before this session is over. This time, it will be a more objective based task rather than just the basics. The objective of task will be to rescue hostages in certain areas."_

"Rescue hostages? Do I look like a SWAT soldier to you?"

 _"At ease, Ms. Caulfield. Considering your able to get along with you powers when it comes to combat, you should be ready for this task. We'll also be simulating a different enemy type as well as setting up the room to make it look like a display of other rooms where you'll be saving the hostages via simulation. It'll be pretty straight forward. Let's begin shall we?"_

When my final task initiates, the room turns into maze. The floor raises walls in the room turn it into a maze and I now had to roam around every corner of the simulation to look for the hostages. And I do just that.

I still had my revolver in my hand to take out more foes. Then I hear voices during the simulation. I take cover behind the walls and see some soldier I don't recognize. These are enemies are different looking compared to Chrysalis troops. They were also talking with foreign accents and appeared to be more mercenary-like than professional soldiers. They even wore patches on their tactical uniforms similar to the Chrysalis logo, but with different colors and added features to it.

I used the same stealth tactics I performed on soldiers who stalked me around the halls of Blackwell. Whether I'd be choke holding them, hitting their heads against the wall, or knife them. When I knife them, I quickly swipe their own knives out of their holsters and stab them in the waste, back, chest, or throat. Since the new enemy types were simulated, their weapons were no more realistic than their own manifestation. So the knives dissolved out of my hand once I stabbed the mercenaries.

I came across my first room hostages with mercs guarding it. The hostages were tied and gagged with duct tape and rope. And their eyes were covered with blindfolds. I shoot one of the mercs with my pistol and even use my time stop on of them before he shoots me or the hostages. Then the hostages are depleted from the simulation. Meaning I must of rescued them or something. This was starting to feel like an arcade shoot-em-up video game now.

And so I finish the task by performing every strategy, every do-dad, every practical little thing I can come up with using my power in order the save the hostages. But before the simulation ends, there was one last thing I had to encounter that I highly disbelieved would be part of the simulation.

Before my task comes to an end, I hear a voice shout from behind. In response, I instantly turn to the direction I hear the voice with my gun held in front of me and see a masked mercenary holding a gun to the head of the most imperatively needed person in my life. The one person who I would die for, fight for, and live for...Chloe Price.

"Drop the gun, now!" shouted the mercenary in his European accent.

"C-Chloe...?" I said jittering.

"Max, help me! Please!"

This was fucking crazy. This couldn't be happening. Out of all the task I could do in this simulation, they make me do something personnel. No, this wasn't real. This wasn't the real Chloe being taken hostage. It wasn't! This wasn't real.

"Drop the gun or she dies," the merc warned. Still holding the gun besides Chloe's head.

It was happening again. Even if this was just a simulation, even now I constantly fear for Chloe's life. Never have I been so paranoid in the death of my everything in my whole life since the week I came back to her world. Why does this keep happening to me?!

"Let her go," I squeal. "Let her go now!"

"Max, please! Just do what he says!"

I could see tears running down Chloe's checks. Begging for dear life. Begging for mercy. This was nothing compared to incident between her Nathan. The mercenary would intently kill Chloe rather than inadvertently. What should I do? Should I cooperate? Should I resist?

"Last warning. Put the gun down now or I will kill her."

"Max, please! I don't want to die!"

Chloe's face is hot red with tears for fears of death and me and the merc were the only two people standing between her and hole in her head. I almost shed a tear myself. There was only one way out of this and I would be fucked if I have to see Chloe die for the last time. I had to choose. One way or another. And I had to be smart. Severely smart.

 **X/SQUARE/LM - RESIST**

 **B/CIRCLE/RM - COOPERATE**

And just like that, without hesitation, I pull the trigger of my gun shoot past Chloe killing her hostage taker. Then simulation ends with the fabricated mercenary and Chloe figure depleting and the walls descending into the floor.

I drop to my knees feeling super traumatized over what just happen. The last of the simulation felt so real. I could they do this to me? I want to break down, cover my face and cry, but all I could do is remain silent. Knowing it wasn't real, it couldn't have been something remotely worth breaking down, but on my behalf it was. Crosby and Sorenson rushed into the chamber as my session ended. If they were going to try and make me feel better, it wasn't going to work. Now I was pissed.

 **Note: I hope I got everyone's attention now from all that boring filler. Finally, I actually come up with a good twist this time to hype up my readers more and kick things up a knotch.** **Now that I'm on Christmas break, I'll be lucky if I could at least wrap this story up before the end of December. I really should.**

 **Rogue One: A Star Wars story is out this weekend and I'll be seeing it with my Dad on Friday. It's without a doubt one of the most highly anticipated films of the year and so far I've heard great things about it. Let me know in the review if you'll be seeing it this weekend.**

 **Anyway, I'm so close to getting to the best part of this episode and it's going to be exciting as well! Thus far, this has been such a great follow up to one of the greatest written games ever made to me! I hope some of you might feel the same.**

 **Until next time, stay golden!**

 **P.S. Can you guess what mercenary group Max was fighting during her last task of the simulation? Here's a hint: Think of what Warren had informed Chloe of during the previous chapter. Can you guess now? Say it in the review if you must. Don't mind if you do. Piece out!**


	14. Dispute

Chapter 14 Dispute

Max

April 15th, 2014

12:58 PM

Portland, Oregon

Chrysalis HQ

"Max! Max, are you okay?!" Crosby shouted as he raced my way up to me with Sorenson. "Max, I'm sorry you had to see that okay? It acciden-"

"Get the fuck off me!" I thunder shoving Crosby out of the way. "What the fuck was that?! How could you do that to me?!"

"It was our mistake, Max! We weren't going to let you do that."

"I come over here to play as your little lab rat and Chloe being taken hostage has part of this simulation task?!"

"It was my fault, Max," admitted Sorenson. "Sometimes we have our test chambers simulate personal inquires. We weren't going to let you do that at first and our simulator malfunctioned."

"Jesus, I actually watched Chloe almost die again. It felt so real. It felt so horrible."

"Max, look at me. You did good, okay? That's all that matters. Now come on. Your parents want to talk to you."

I almost break down in front of Crosby, but he comforts me enough to take me out of the test chamber and into the observation deck. I want to rant and rave about them showing me another example of what it's like to lose the person you've loved your entire life, but I refused to waste my breath on it. When we got to the observation room, I could hear my parents arguing with one another. So much for being prepared for what they had just seen.

"Mr. Crosby, how dare you make my daughter do things she can't do!" My mother roared.

"Vanessa, you will calm the fuck down! Let's not go embarrassing ourselves in front of Max, Crosby, or everyone else in this room."

"Don't you dare tell me to calm down! I did not raise my daughter to be some-some-"

"As much as I understand this is difficult for you to go through, Mrs. Caulfield," interrupted Crosby. "It is not our fault your daughter is the way she is now."

"That's besides the point, Mr. Crosby," said Mom. "I didn't raise my daughter to fight people with guns with all these super powers she has now and you make her go in there like she's ready to go on some CIA mission."

"I can assure you it is not like that, Mrs. Caulfield. The point of being here is to see what Max is really capable of. You had seen it yourself. She can handle herself in a fight so much better than you think she can."

"You see what I mean, Vanessa? It is what it is. We agreed we'd be prepared to see what Max can do. So don't act like we didn't."

"Screw you, Ryan! I didn't ask for my daughter to have all these time bending powers and you know it!"

"I'm not sure if you noticed, Mom, but one minute you say that you're sorry for how you reacted and the next your back to getting utterly emotional again. I'm so sorry if it disturbs you to see me the way I am now, but get over it. How does that sound?"

"Maxine Caulfield, I am your Mother. You do not get to tell me to get over it."

"Both of you, knock off alright," my Dad scolded. "Let's talk to each other grown ups for once. How bout that?"

"Stop telling me how to talk, Ryan! You know what, they said they could neuter her powers right? I want them gone. I want them gone now!"

"Vanessa!"

"Mrs. Caulfield, you are in no position to make demands like that! As I've explained before, until a jury in court can determine if Max had the right to her powers or not, only then would we neuter her powers."

"No! I don't need a jury to decide that. Besides from the fact that my little girl is being accused of destroying a town by summoning a fucking tornado storm and now seeing her turn into a crazy super human, I will not withstand this inanity! I want her powers gone right fucking now!"

"Enough!" I shout. "You know something, Mom, it's so easy for you to talk shit because your not the one who suffers from her powers. You think seeing my powers is painful, it's even more painful actually having them and using them than it is just seeing them for yourself. Too bad no one's getting rid them of unless I'm found guilty in court or something."

"You see, Vanessa. Max is right. Your not the only person here that has to suffer you know. Considering what Max had told us back at the prison, she's suffered a lot more than we have you know. So don't go bickering about how you can't live through this alone."

A guard suddenly walk into the room to inform Crosby of something.

"Mr. Crosby, Caulfield has a visitor waiting in your office," said the guard.

"A visitor?" my Dad questioned.

"Ah, that's right," said Crosby remembering something. "We'll be there in a minute. Have someone escort Mr. and Mrs. Caulfield back to lobby. They've spent enough time here as they have."

"Yes, sir."

My parents were walked out of the room by the guard while me and Crosby took the elevator up to his office. There wasn't even time to say goodbye. At least it wouldn't be the last I would see of my parents. Not until my trial that is. When the two of us made it to the office, I discover that my surprise visitor is Chloe. Not the Chloe I saved from getting killed in a hostage holt via simulation. The one and only from reality. Safe and sound. Alive and well.

Apparently, Crosby had allowed her to drive her ass all the way from home to Portland just to visit me again. It was a two hour drive from Arcadia Bay to here. I wondered what she had to say this time coming all this way. When it was time for us to chat, Crosby had given us ten minutes together. Then he walked out to let us talk in private.

"This is hellava joint Crosby's got here," said Chloe staring at the glass window getting a view of Portland. "Must've taken him a fortune to build this fortress."

"It has," I reply. "Why'd ya come here, Chloe? It's a hell of long from home to here. Does Joyce and David know your here?"

"If they didn't, they wouldn't have let me suck up a bunch of gas just to see again would they?" She replied turning over to face me.

"I heard about that shooting at the Prescotts'. I've got no don't that was you and Rachel risking your lives for mine. I also heard about those protest happing back in Arcadia. Including the one Victoria is rallying at Blackwell. How kind of her. Just another example of how selfish I was to take so many lives for one. If I ever took those lives to begin with. Speaking of which, I guess by now you've come here to tell if you've proven otherwise or not."

Chloe sighed.

"Rachel's working her ass off right now attempting to decipher and analyze all that data we stole from the Prescotts. There should be no excuse for not finding any leads. Meanwhile, Warren too might have evidence that could claim it was never you who summoned the twister that eradicated all those pour souls to the land of Oz."

"Warren's got leads now? How does he have leads?"

"I paid him a visit at my Mom's diner this morning and he found a quantum terrorist group on Wikipedia who he suspected set you up."

"What terrorist group is that?"

"Neo-Chrysalis."

"Neo-Chrysalis?"

"Don't ask. It's a terrorist group founded shortly after regular Chrysalis and had been funded the same military grade hardware that non-terrorist Chrysalis produces."

"Neo-Chrysalis? Hmm. So...what make Warren suspect them?"

"Well, you remember those storm rituals we talked about in prison right? It's the same story with Neo-Chrysalis. That's what. So, what have they've been doing to you since you got until now?"

"They just put me in a test chamber to demonstrate my powers and parents came by to see it. Though my Dad was more forgiving, my Mom went on a rampage. And they just forced them out of the building without them saying goodbye to me. Not sure if I should blame myself or my Mom or Crosby, I don't even care."

I think back to the simulation I was forced to go through. Thinking back to when I had fought the simulated mercenary gang. Neo-Chrysalis? Was that the group the fabricated mercs belonged to? They were after all wearing patches labeled with logos similar to Chrysalis. What if it was Neo-Chrysalis mercs I had been fighting via simulation?

"Max, look at me," she says turning my head to my face. "I want you to know that was not your storm. It doesn't matter any more what I said on that cliff, me and Rachel will find those fuckers who set you up. And when we do, we're going to show them what it means to fuck with the wrong town and what it mean to fuck with Super Max. Period."

"My trial is tomorrow, Chloe. If there's that could orient my innocence, maybe it might be necessary to bring it to court or something. It might be more convincing for jury to partake."

"If there's legitimate evidence Rachel finds, maybe. Right now, all that matters is that we get you out of this. That's all that matters."

When our ten minutes were up, I give Chloe a hug before she leaves the room. Then me and Crosby take elevator to the lobby just to say my quick goodbyes to my parents before leaving. While going down the elevator, I get a view of Portland from the elevator window with the afternoon sun beaming through the glass and the sight of skyscrapers from top to bottom as we descend to the lowest floor of the compound.

"Mr. Crosby, there may be something I have to ask you."

"Ask away."

"About that simulation I was tasked to, what were those mercenaries I was fighting at the end? Who do they belong to?"

"Unfortunately, Max, the answer to that question is classified. I'm sorry."

"Well could at least ask you something that's not classified?"

"That depends. Ask away."

"What if you had my power, Crosby? How far would you go to save the one you so dearest to you? Just the way I did? Would you have done that same thing I had done six months ago to keep Chloe alive?"

"Let me tell you this, Max. Not everyone gets to grow old together and live happily ever after with the one thing most dearest to them. But if you feel like you have the guts to make sacrifices for the greater cause or personal matters, only you can decide what more at stake to you. Even if you can't make anything up to everyone else."

"So what does that mean? That I had every right to tear that photo on that cliff to make sure Chloe stayed alive? Every right to just rewind and surpass her less than optimistic destiny? Was there ever anything particularly giving me the right to let Chloe live?"

"Max, no one can give you the right to let Chloe live but yourself. If you know how much you love her, than you know how much you deserve to be with her for as long as the two of you live. That's what affection does to you. It all comes down to us once in a lifetime."

"When the day came, when I realized what the storm had been all about, Chloe had told me that there were so many people in Arcadia Bay that should've lived. Way more than her. Whether that was true or not, I believe there were just too many people that deserved to be alive just as much as Chloe does. I once told her she was my number on priority. That she was all that mattered to me. You had just said so yourself. If I know how much I love her, than I know how much I deserve her alive. The question is, why can't everyone receive what they deserve in this world? Just why?"

"You beat yourself too much over the inevitable, Max. Life is not always about what you deserve, it's about what all comes down to you in the end. Even if it isn't what you deserve, you know you did your best to try.

"When Chloe's real father died, I had to move away from Arcadia Bay shortly after. I spent the next five years in Seattle dreaming that I just might see Chloe again. The irony of it all was that the day I saw her again was the day I wouldn't. My powers are the only reason that didn't happen. But it wasn't just my power that kept her alive, it was fear of her dying that did. She deserves a better tomorrow. A better way to reconcile. I would have all the power in the world to keep Chloe alive without any tragic failures. That's all I could care about more than anything on the planet. That much I need."

"You want affection without tragedy. And power without limits. The world will never work that way. Even when you do make it work that way, it won't last forever. Not at all."

 **Note: I was going to write a scene with Max saying goodbye to her parents before they left, but decided to cut it from this chapter. As much as I wouldn't believe I'm saying this, I'm finally getting closer to the best part of this episode. There's only one more filler chapter to write before the biggest part of this episode and I will be even more pumped to complete this episode in no time.**

 **I'll also being seeing Star Wars Rouge One tonight folks! If your seeing it, I hope you enjoy it as much as I expect to. I also hope you'll enjoy the most exciting segment of this episode yet as it'll come sooner than you think.**

 **Until next time, stay golden!**


	15. The Same Order

Chapter 15 The Same Order

Chloe

April 15th, 2014

3:53 PM

10 Miles From Arcadia Bay

Kettle Lake Lodge

I drive back miles away from Portland to all the way past Arcadia Bay and back to Rachel's lodge. On the way back, something on my mind had been suspecting a connection between the Prescotts and Neo-Chrysalis. I wasn't sure why, but my gut was telling me that the Prescotts were really good at keeping a lot of secrets in Arcadia Bay. The discovery of Ezra Prescott, the Order of Saint Loomis, the Dark Room, you name it. With Max's tribunal scheduled for tomorrow, me and Rachel needed real good evidence to make sure Max wasn't guilty.

When I park my truck near the front gate of the lodge, I could see Frank's caravan parked on the driveway. I wonder if Frank must be having that talk with Rachel she promised him. I get out of my truck, walk into the lodge and find Frank talking to Rachel in the living room.

"So you want to tell me that you spent all those months getting famous in LA with the help of your little celebrity idol of yours Jack Divine and then somehow got yourself caught in this fugitively situation with Chrysalis," questioned Frank. Still having the conversation with Rachel.

"That's all I can pretty much tell you, Frank," replied Rachel. "At least Mr. Jeffershit and his wannabe lapdog Nathan Prickscott aren't around anymore to ruin our lives. Meanwhile, Max still needs our help to prove she's innocent. If you don't mind, I have better things to do than argue about 'us'. That means data to decipher, evidence to rectify, and some privacy between me and Chloe to make sure Max isn't falsely found guilty when the verdict is reached in court. Do we understand each other?"

"Have it your way, Rachel. Someday you Blackwell shits will get a life."

As soon as Frank walked out the front door and left, I turn back to Rachel who looks stressed out. I'd assume she had a long busy day deciphering all that data from Prescotts. At least she was doing her ex-girlfriend a favor to bust her real girlfriend out jail.

"So how did it go," I ask her. "He still pissed?"

"A little," she answers. "Come over here to my corkboard. I found something real interesting you'll want to see."

I walk over to Rachel's corkboard to see what she had set up. Turns out she had been hella busy rounding up all the evidence and displaying it on the board. She organized the evidence using tacks to nail paper and photo images and string to connect certain pieces of evidence to others.

"So, here we have it, Chloe. My evidence board."

"Damn, Rachel. You've been hella busy. Now what was it that I would find real interesting?"

"Get this, Chloe. The Prescotts not only discovered the dangers of the rituals created by the St. Loomis order, they actually once belonged to the order."

"They did? How?"

"It goes all the way back to the twelfth century during the third crusade. When the order was founded. Over the decades, St. Loomis would conduct a bunch of nasty rituals that would oppose anyone they quarreled. Such as the Byzantine Empire, the Teutonic Order, the Holy Roman Empire, etc. About a century later, the Kingdom of England declared war on this order with every other combatant they allied with due to proclaiming the St. Loomis Order's power to control time and space to be unlimited and ruthless. When St. Loomis lost the war, the Loomis family; who were the ones who found the order, surrendered and were granted mercy if they were to abandon any in all quantum control or disastrous rituals that wept out their enemies. And they did. From that moment forward, the Loomis family wanted to change their family name in order to abandon any history that the Order of Saint Loomis ever existed."

"And what did they change their family name to?"

"What do you think they changed their name to?"

"It's not like I'll win a million bucks if I get the answer right."

"Prescott. They changed their name to Prescott. It's not a million dollar question. It's a rhetorical question."

"Maybe I have a question that's not so rhetorical. If the Prescott family was once the Loomis family, don't you think this secret society of theirs would've been passed on for generations to come? You had said something about this Ezra Prescott character discovering time powers and then his son learning about the order and what they did. Sounds to me like they never knew about the order."

"A lot can be forgotten in a matter of centuries, Chloe. While it may have been a coincidence to some, it was major part of their legacy to others. Meaning that not very many of the Prescotts passed on this part of their legacy throughout the generations. If you ask me, they're all from the same order. And they always will whether it's passed on to anyone or not."

"Anything else interesting that just might relate to Max's case?"

"Well...I thought about going through those dark files, but at the time I was having that talk with Frank."

"What about Neo-Chrysalis? That terrorist group I text you about. The one Warren found on Wikipedia?"

"Like I said, Chloe, need more time."

I sigh.

"Rachel, listen. I'm not sure why, but I thought this might be a good time as any to bring this up."

"Bring what up?"

"Bring...'us' up."

"Oh for fuck sake, Chloe. We're on a mission to find the fuckers who set Max up and you still want to continue this obsession."

"Rachel, I know you're not that bad of a person as I've said you were. What I never asked you back at the estate was why him? You know, why Frank?"

"Why Frank? You mean why secretly go banging him and pretend to love you? Is that what you're asking?"

"Yes, that is what I'm asking. I'm sorry if that sounds so stupid of question. If not too personal for me to ask."

"It is too personal and stupid of question to ask. Who are you to ask such a thing?"

"I am person who's been lied to a bunch of times is who I am to ask. The real question I should be asking is why go behind my back doing so?"

Rachel sighed.

"Here goes the answer. Frank is a man who's had a shitty life to live through. Which is no secret. Although he does go to church and did rescue Pompidou from someplace, he needed someone to care about. Someone to be close to. Someone to bond with. There were times when needed advice from me and he would take it. Times when he needed company and he would accept it. Times when he needed coffee and he would - Never mind. Forget I said that."

"No, no, no, no, keep going. Your starting sound like you have good reason so please, keep talking."

"The more closer we got, the more we developed a thing for each other. And we did. I wanted to tell you sooner, Chloe, but I really didn't want you to get worked up over it if you weren't going to like what I would say. It pretty tenuous for me between me and you and me and him."

"Tenuous? You know, why did it take a thing for you and Frank him to him feel better? If he needed someone to bond with, why couldn't you just be friends or something?"

"Because that what bonding means doesn't it? Either way, it goes way back to what I've told you before. There will never be anything that would stop me from loving you. Even if I did just keep my thing between me and Frank a secret. Besides, you already seem to be a thing already with Max anyways. You always told me that if she had still been living in Arcadia Bay with you all those five years apart, you'd make a good couple together if I weren't here for you. You're just lucky I was here for you when Max wasn't. All that matters for now is that we find out if the Prescotts were really involved with the storm and get Max out of the position she's in right now."

"Everything you just to me has never been more obvious to me than it has up until this point. Assuming you can keep your promise you made to me back at the estate, I guess I'll believe anything you say."

"Chloe, just one more thing. I'm doing all this because I still care about you. You know that. I know I haven't been the best friend to you, but even though I failed to be your love life...I'll always love you the way Max loves you too."

"I always loved you too, Rachel. The way I always loved Max as well. And you know what, I can't blame you anymore for leaving me. The only ones I can truly blame is Jeffershit and Nathan. That's who."

"Then I suppose we've come to a truce now have we? Surely, Max would blame the same people. So would Frank."

"They already have, Rachel. They already have."

"Truce?"

"Truce."

I cup my hand onto Rachel's and fist bump with her. Even though Rachel and I are just friends for now, I knew she at least still cared about me and was capable of returning the fidelity to Max. I still wondered if Neo-Chrysalis was the one responsible for the storm and not Max. Whatever it comes down to, I know I was going to get my partner in time out of an asylum of time. I just know I would.

Later that night, me and Rachel order a pizza and drink beer together while watching television together. I know that Max's trial would begin tomorrow morning, but me and Rachel needed a break from working on Max's case. I evidence wasn't sufficient enough to prove Max's innocence anyhow. Hopefully, we would find some before the trial concludes.

The two of us watch some Adult Swim while we eat. We watch a little bit of some Family Guy, American Dad, Aqua Teen Hunger Force, and everything else as we sit on the couch and relax. I had always enjoyed watching Gravity Falls and Steven Universe with Max, but never minded watching all the adult cartoons also.

"Hey, Rachel. What do you say if Neo-Chrysalis could've been the ones responsible for Max's set up? That's what my money's on."

"Unless we find evidence that could connect to that, you'll just have to put your down for now. Don't you worry, Chloe. When we find the fuckers who ratted out Max, they'll be sorry they ever fucked with Mad Max. Real fucking sorry."

"Not gonna argue with you there, Rachel. Would not argue with you there."

I ding my bear bottle against Rachel's and we both gulp down our beer at the same time. Something told me we were going to get hung over in this living room. If that were the case, at least I could get a good night's rest before the trial tomorrow. I really hope so.

If there was one thing I would do anything to get Max to come back to me, it would to make the fuckers who framed Max pay real fucking hard. I mean real fucking hard. Even now as I get drunk with Rachel, I'm still asking the same question: Who - done - it?

Who?

 **Note: Change of plans folks. The trial won't begin until next episode, sorry. I've decided that this story will be six episodes long instead of five. I know it feels like I'm y'all at the last minute, but I feel like I've written plenty already. So the next chapter will be the last and will end on little cliffhanger for you guys that will begin you know what.**

 **Until next time, stay golden!**


	16. The Moment of Truth

Chapter 16 The Moment of Truth

Max

April 16th, 2014

7:00 AM

Portland, Oregon

Chrysalis HQ

I am wide awake. The alarm clock going off in my cell is an exclamation mark for the big day finally underway. I snooze the alarm, stretch my arms, get off the bed I slept on in my cell, and yawn. I don't believe today's the day. The day I finally show the people of Arcadia Bay who I really am. The day I show the world what it means to be the girl on fire.

I was expecting the guards to arrive in any minute now. Ready to cuff my hands and take me back to Arcadia where I stand trial. And not a minute too soon, the guards open my cell door and walk in to take me away.

"Turn around and face the wall with your hands above your head, ma'am," the guard ordered.

I do as I'm told and the guard cuffs me. Then they walk me out of my cell and escort me down to the prisoner truck waiting for me outside the compound.

Back at Rachel's lodge, Rachel was passed out on the couch hung over with beer bottles laying on the floor and an empty pizza box sitting on the living room table. When Rachel gets up, she's sees that Chloe isn't with her. Then she turns behind her and sees Chloe dressed up for the trial. Chloe was dressed up in a vest and slacks for the trial. Ready to support Max's defense with Crosby.

"I'm running late Rachel. The trial is about to begin in less than two hours and I've got to be there early. I'll catch ya later."

"Hey, Chloe."

"What?"

"Good luck. You and Max are gonna need it."

I'm loaded onto the prison truck. Once I'm on board, the door shut in front of me and a guard knocks the doors with his fist to signal the driver I'm ready for transportation. Meanwhile, my tribunal was being televised on the news with Brock Kent the Arcadia News anchor and May Valhalla the Arcadia News reporter covering the story.

"It is a day of truth for the people of Arcadia Bay today as Max Caulfield prepares to face charges against the manslaughter of the six-hundred victims killed in the tornado storm, claimed to have been caused by her so-called supernatural power, as well as the killing of forty-five task force soldiers serving Chrysalis during the Blackwell shooting. While some believe Max's criminal offense to be less than doubtful, others believe it to be unjustified."

There were people being interviewed on the news for public feedback relating to my conviction of my crimes being just or unjust. One person being interviewed was a woman who lost her husband to storm leaving her children without a Father.

"When I lost my husband in Arcadia Bay to that storm, my children were crying for hours all because of the actions of this quantum terrorism they're all proclaiming it to be."

Back at Chloe's house, Joyce and David were getting dressed for trial as well. They had both agreed to let Chloe aid Max's defense and so they both decided to attend the trial to make sure their daughter would do well. David got his coat and tie on while looking at himself in the mirror. Joyce walked into the bedroom where she and David slept in and her husband was getting dressed to check on him. She had already got her formal clothing on when she walked.

"You still worried, David?"

"I'm fine, Joyce. We can save it for the trial."

"No, David. I mean this innocent Chloe got herself into with-"

"We can save it for the trial. No matter what this innocent was all about, Chloe has every right to Max. That I can respect."

My parents were too getting dressed for the trial as well. They had rented a motel room in Arcadia Bay when they heard about what I've done. That were both at their motel room getting dressed in their formalwear. My Mom put her jacket and gown in the mirror while my Dad walked over to her dressed in his suit and tie.

"Hey V, you ready for this?"

"I'm ready when I'm ready, Ryan. Don't rush me."

"Vanessa, listen. Just so you know-"

"Ryan, please. If your going to give me another speech about me settling down-"

"Vanessa, just listen. Just remember what I said when we get there, alright? We don't want to sound like idiots ourselves in front of our own daughter if we have to say something to everyone in court."

"I haven't forgotten, Ryan. And I never will."

A college kid was being interviewed on the news for his opinion on my case.

"I move away from Arcadia Bay to get a college education in Portland and not a month later, I lose my family to the storm that was supernaturally caused by terrorist. I lose my Mom, my Dad, my sister, everyone. Would I believe this Max Caulfield to be the one with my family's blood on her hands? That I can't decide."

Back at Blackwell; Warren, Kate, and Victoria got themselves dressed to attend my trial as well. Kate walked into Victoria's dorm dressed for the trial while Victoria herself was just finished dressing herself for the trial while looking at herself in the mirror.

"Victoria? You ready?"

"I'm ready, Kate. Go look for Warren. Make sure he's ready."

"Hey, Victoria."

"What?"

"Thanks for letting me help with the protest rally. I'm glad I could help. You're good person."

"Don't mention it, Kate. Your a good person too."

Warren too had been getting himself dressed in his dorm. He did manage to get his coat on, but had to practice putting on his tie a couple time too. Did it all in the mirror also.

A man on the news was being interviewed on his opinion on my case.

"Six months ago, I had moved to Arcadia Bay and then I moved out all because of a tornado storm claimed to be an act of terrorism. Whether Max Caulfield would be the one at fault or not, I want to live in a place that doesn't attract terrorism and where I could keep myself well out of harm's way."

Frank had been back in his caravan parked on the beachside who had too decided to attend the trial. I understood Frank was never an entirely caring person enough to have the passion to go to a trial of mine, but I was granted his forgiveness for aiming an unloaded gun on him in a dump. If I hadn't rewound to make sure Chloe didn't pump lead into his heart or to his kneecap. Rachel also advised him to be there at my trial just to return the forgiveness he showed.

Frank managed to get himself an expensive jacket and slacks in order to dress professionally for the occasion. Once he was dressed, he fed Pompidou some of his dog food he had left and poured it on Pompidou's bowl before leaving for the trial

The truck I was being transported in reached Arcadia Bay. While I sat inside, I could hear the sound of crowd which I assumed were gathered by the courthouse my tribunal would be held. I knew I was close. Close to not only coming to a complete stop, but close to absolution.

"This is May Valhalla. Live from Arcadia Bay. I am standing near the courthouse where Max Caulfield is now arriving to stand trial and where the people of Arcadia Bay reluctantly ask the same question. Did Max Caulfield - She's here! Get a shot of her! Quickly!"

The cameraman working for the news journalist gets a shot of the truck pulling over by the crowd. When I'm about to walk out, two bailiffs open the back doors to let me out and seize me by the to walk me over to the courthouse. When I walk down the path to front steps of the courthouse with the bailiffs behind me, there is a massive crowd of people waving picket signs and shouting out my name in hatred. There are barrier fences that keep everyone out of path. The crowd waves around signs that say 'Arcadia Killer' or 'Quantum Freak'. As they're all hollering over one another, a majority of the crowd would shout out 'murderer', 'destroyer', or 'destructor'. They even throw garbage at me with all their civil hatred. They abhorrently shout out every possible insult at me that signifies my monstrosity for the killing of these people's families and friends.

This was it. This had to be the worst kind of nightmare I could ever dream of. I couldn't believe this was remotely occurring. These people actually hate me for what this town has become. For what I made it become. It was the true definition of what Chloe meaning more to me than this whole town looks like. I was now a victim of civil hatred. I was now worse than Adolf Hitler. I was now the next Osama Bin Laden. I feel like my wants to explode just to end my public misery. I might as well be back in my nightmare I had before waking up on the cliff with Chloe. I have never been so capitally hated in my whole life. I was now the eye of the storm all over again.

"The trial of the people of Arcadia Bay versus Max Caulfield is now in session," said a bailiff in the courtroom.

I now official enter the courtroom. This is where it begins. This is where hearts start beating. This is where to moment of truth rises. And now...here I am.

Next time on Life is Strange...

I am back. Back to when I first acknowledged the end of time. Back to the frozen forest and back to the giant tree with bolts of lightning striking and a giant heart pumping. And the spirit of the heir to the Prescotts.

"Welcome...Max Caulfield," said the ghost of Nathan.

 **End of Episode 3!**

 **Note: I know it's been a disappointing episode for you guys, but trust me. Next episode should be far better than this one! That I'm hoping for! We're only halfway through this story with only three more episodes for me to write. Once again, if there are any theories or predictions you have for the upcoming episode, write it down in the reviews please.**

 **Will Max Caulfield win her case? Will Rachel and Chloe find out who really destroyed Arcadia Bay? Find out in Life is Strange Season 2 Episode 4 Time Trial. In the meantime, you Pricefield fans all have yourselves a merry hella Christmas and a hella new year.**

 **Until next time, stay golden!**

 **P.S. I've decided to add a little song for the credits. Thank you.**

 **'Work Song' - Hozier**

 **Life is Strange After the Storm**

 **Episode 3: Quantum Crisis**

 **Voice Cast**

 **Max Caulfield... ...Hannah Telle**

 **Chloe Price... ...Ashly Burch**

 **Rachel Amber... ...Erin Yvette**

 **Warren Graham... ...Carlos Luna**

 **Kate Marsh... ...Dayeanne Hutton**

 **Victoria Chase... ...Dani Knights**

 **Joyce Price... ...Cissy Jones**

 **David Madsen... ...Don McManus**

 **Vanessa Caulfield... ...Tasia Valenza**

 **Ryan Caulfield... ...Adam Harrington**

 **Frank Bowers... ...Daniel Bonjour**

 **Derrick Crosby... ...Peter Jessop**

 **Sean Prescott... ...Keith Szarabajka**

 **Raymond Wells... ...Eric Morgan Stuart**

 **Karen Carter... ...Rebecca Henderson**

 **Burke Johns... ...Julian Gamble**

 **Clayton Cage... ...Chris Fries**

 **Riley O'Donohue... ...Philip Anthony-Rodriguez**

 **Kristine Prescott... ...Laura Bailey**

 **Secretary Brown... ...Claudia Christian**

 **Sebian Sorenson... ...Dwight Schultz**

 **Jack Divine... ...Chris Hardwick**

 **Written and Edited by**

 **WickDaLine**

 **Based on the Characters by**

 **Christian Divine**

 **Music by**

 **Jonathan Morali**

 **Soundtrack**

 **Blue Bird - Foals**

 **Heartbeats - Jose Gonzalez**

 **Sleepwalking - Chain Gang of 1974**

 **Come With Me Now - Kongos**

 **Work Song - Hozier**

 **Special Thanks**

 **Dontnod**

 **Remedy**

 **Michel Koch**

 **Luc Baghadoust**

 **Christian Devine**

 **Sam Lake**

 **Hannah Telle**

 **Ashly Burch**

 **Xemtlenc**

 **and you!**

 **Disclaimer**

 **I don't own anything. All copyrights and property belong to Square Enix and Dontnod Entertainment. Thank you.**


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